Organic milk production systems rely on ecologically based practices that virtually prohibit the use of antibiotics and hormones in the cow herd and the use of synthetic chemicals in the production of cattle feed. Organic milk production systems also attempt to accommodate the animals’ natural nutritional and behavioral requirements, for example ensuring that dairy cows have access to pasture (Greene and Kremen). These requirements add to production costs and create obstacles to widespread adoption, such as higher managerial costs and risks of shifting to a new way of farming, and significant time and costs associated with the transition.
