We continue to pray for those in Japan. The destruction is far beyond anything I have ever experienced. My heart aches for those affected. We hope that Japan as a nation can pull through this disastrous event and come out stronger on the other end.
There have been a few concerns over the past week about the safety of dairy products in the United States. As of today, dairy products are safe to consume. We will keep you updated if anything changes, but the dairy industry, including Organic Valley, is working hard to monitor the situation and keep our dairy supply unharmed.
Here is a statement from Organic Valley:
Japanese Radiation Events & Disaster Recovery
March 21, 2011
Contact P.R. Consumer Relations888-444-6455
Dear Organic Valley Consumers,
Organic Valley is taking the tragic events occurring at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant very seriously. We join with all people in the hope that the effort to bring the Fukushima reactors under control is successful, and we hope the Japanese people will be able to recover from the trio of recent disasters as soon as possible.
We are closely monitoring the situation unfolding in Japan in order to determine the danger Fukushima radiation releases may pose to dairy cattle and other livestock in the United States. Our independent study indicates there is no danger to American livestock at this time, analysis that concurs with Federal and State governmental agency research.
It is important to note that American dairy products, including Organic Valley dairy products, have not been affected by Japanese radiation releases, and continue to be safe to consume.
While we hope for a quick resolution to the Fukushima disaster, we know it is possible that radiation may be released in larger quantities that could negatively impact the United States at some point in the future. Because of that possibility, we are studying ways to independently and comprehensively monitor our dairy products and production systems to ensure they remain free from contamination. We are also formulating on-farm contingency plans designed to shield Organic Valley livestock and feed from contamination exposure should the situation at Fukushima worsen.
Please join us in helping the people of Japan recover from the terrible set of tragedies they continue to endure by contributing to the following organizations engaging in disaster relief there.
Care – http://www.care.org/
The Red Cross – http://www.redcross.org/
Sincerely,
The Farmer-Owners and Employees of Organic Valley
On Organic Valley’s Facebook page today, they stated:
Over the years Organic Valley has built what is likely to be the most comprehensive milk quality monitoring program in the country. Because of the events in Japan, we’ve added yet another component to our extensive program. We are sampling milk from before the March 11th events to establish a baseline for testing our products for radiological contamination going forward. No radiological contamination has been found in Organic Valley products, and we will continue to ensure our products are safe for our consumers.
I hope this helps answer any questions people might have. Please continue to pray for those in Japan.
Emily
Zweber Farms is a 4th generation family operated organic dairy. We are proud Organic Valley farmer members and sell our milk under that label. We also specialize in sustainably raised beef, pork and chicken and sell it directly to customers in Minnesota.Visit our website to learn more, www.zweberfarms.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitterand YouTube.
