We visited a goat dairy farm yesterday. The goats were treated wonderfully, they were all so sweet (the goats I mean), the farmer was hospitable and extremely helpful and the prices were really good. My only issue was the grain that the goats were fed during milking. They were fed grains that contain GMO. The farmers weren't aware of this though. I'm trying to find the words to let them know.
One of many reasons why health professionals advise against conventional milk is because those animals are most likely raised in a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) where they are not only injected with Posilac (the rGBG hormone that increases milk production), but also because the animals are fed GMO. The farmer that I've visited treats her animals very well. They each have names and personalities and are treated with great care and regard. My ONLY problem is the GMO. Because GMOs weren't tested properly, no one really knows what the long term effects are. I don't know if that will come out in the milk or not and I'd rather not take a chance.
So I'm still looking for a place to buy raw milk unfortunately.
as a dairy goat farmer i can tell you that unless you find someone raising them totally organiclly, that GMO is a part of life. Dairy goats need a large volumn of feed grains to produce that milk you want. and unless you live in a bubble, you are already exposed to GMO. The beef, chicken and even farm raised fish are feed grains. since almost all soybean and corn commercially grown are GMO, you are already getting it not to mention that walmart milk you drink has it in is in some form/fashion. so how much is to much? well you are missing out on a great product by stating that you wont drink raw milk because of GMO's.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment, my friend, but I must respectfully disagree. I finally found a farmer who boards cows. He fervently despises GMOs and refuses to give them to his cows. The only reason he isn't certified organic is because it is so expensive, but he is very open about how he raises his cows; he invites his clients to observe and ask questions.
ReplyDeleteAs for Wal-Mart I would NEVER even buy their milk forget drink it. I wouldn't feed store bought cow's milk to a cow or store bought goat's milk to a goat! The milk that I get from my dairy farmer is a high quality product and the benefits have proven it since I've been a raw milk consumer for 6 months and I feel great!
It makes me sad that you make the avoidance of GMOs sound so hopeless when in reality, it really isn't that difficult.