The Cornucopia Institute is a name you don't hear that often in organic food circles. Yet the Wisconsin-based group is fast becoming an effective watchdog group on organic standards, especially organic milk.

Cornucopia filed complaints with USDA in 2005 and 2006 alleging Dean Foods (owner of Horizon Organic) was breaking the federal organic rules. The complaints point to confined feeding operations.

But here's where it gets interesting (OK, disheartening). While USDA decertified a couple of Horizon's factory-like farms in response to Cornucopia's pressure, documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show that USDA never investigated or visited Dean's largest dairies in question. Yet USDA dismissed Cornucopia's two complaints. The FOIA documents reveal that Dean Foods hired one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington to represent them.

This has led Cornucopia to file a third complaint claiming that one of Dean's Horizon suppliers was "skirting the law by confining the majority of their cows to a filthy feedlot" as opposed to allowing them access to grass and pasture as the organic standards require. Cornucopia is also asking the Inspector General at USDA to look into "appearances of favoritism" at the agency.

Source: The Cornucopia Institute

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