Last updated 08/03/2024

Organic dairy farming is a special way of farming that avoids using synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and antibiotics. It also has specific rules about how cows are treated, what they eat, and how the land is managed. In organic farms, cows get to graze freely or have minimum space requirements when they're housed. These farms also have areas dedicated to supporting biodiversity and growing perennial plants. 

In Australia, many dairy farms, whether organic or not, follow similar practices to ensure the wellbeing of the cows and the environment. The benefits of organic dairy farming may be more noticeable in European countries, especially where cows might not have the same freedoms.[1] 

Now, let's talk about nutrition. A big study in Europe found that organic milk has a different fatty acid profile compared to regular milk. It has more total polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3s, and conjugated linolenic acid. However, organic milk was found to be lower in selenium and iodine. These differences mainly come from the cows' diet, since organic cows in Europe typically eat more grass and less grain.[2] 

We don't know if these findings apply to Australian organic milk because we don't have national data on the differences between organic and regular milk. 

Apart from the nutrient differences, no study has looked into whether consuming regular or organic dairy foods brings different health benefits. This applies to organic foods in general as well.[3] 

If a business or food claims to be organic, they should have evidence to back it up. There's a voluntary Australian standard for growers and manufacturers who want to label their products as ‘organic’. 

For farmers and manufacturers who want to be ‘certified organic’, they need to make sure their products actually meet the certification requirements. Certification is provided by different private bodies, each with their own set of standards that producers must meet to get certified.

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