STUYVESANT, N.Y. — Maple Hill Creamery proudly announces it has been designated as the first national dairy brand to receive Pennsylvania Certified Organic's (PCO) new 100% GrassFed Organic certification. Based in New York State, Maple Hill Creamery produces a variety of organic, whole milk creamline-style yogurt cups, quarts, and drinkable yogurts, and today, is introducing a new whole milk Greek yogurt at the Natural Products Expo East show to provide a "less sweet" option in the Greek yogurt market.
"We are thrilled that Maple Hill Creamery has become the first national dairy brand to be third-party certified as 100% Grass-Fed," said Tim Joseph, founding farmer and president. "In serving growing demand for grass-fed dairy, we believe the certification seal will enable consumers to feel confident in the choices they make for themselves and their families. It is our hope that grocery industry leaders will rely upon '100% Grass-Fed,' just as they rely upon third-party certification for terms like 'Organic' and 'Non-GMO.' 100% Grass-Fed means our retailers and customers can continue to rely upon integrity and complete transparency from Maple Hill Creamery."
Since the term "grass-fed" is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), grass-based dairy farmers initiated the development of this third-party verification program to ensure the authenticity of products claiming to be "grass-fed." This is important as many products claim "grass-fed," when the cow's diet contains only a minimal amount of grass, which does not contain the beneficial properties of 100% grass-fed for the milk, the animal, the consumer, and the environment. The verification is particularly timely as the popularity of grass-fed dairy is flourishing and consumers are becoming more mindful about the origins of their food. According to a Datamonitor report, grass-fed dairy is rapidly expanding beyond boutique outlets to become mainstream.
Benefits of Maple Hill Creamery's 100% Grass-Fed Organic Products
- 100% Grass-Fed is best for everyone, from cows to consumers. Farms that supply Maple Hill Creamery's milk feed cows organic grass during the growing season and stored organic grass (hay) in the winter. Feeding cows organic grass 100% of the time produces the highest quality milk and ensures dairy cows lead longer, healthier lives, all while improving the health of grazing land as well as supporting a premium wage to farmers.
- Great taste. Maple Hill Creamery produces smooth, European-style yogurts, traditionally tart with a luxurious "creamline" layer to savor. Its fresh, distinctive flavor is unique amongst yogurt produced in the U.S. due in part to the superb quality of milk produced by 100% grass-fed cows.
- Minimally processed with nothing extra added. The dairy company's hallmark product, Traditional Creamline Yogurt, features "cream on top," a decadent layer of milk fat that naturally rises to the top in the culturing process because the milk is not homogenized. There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives added to Maple Hill Creamery's products – ever.
- Optimal Nutrition. Milk from 100% grass-fed cows has a more favorable fatty acid profile than milk from conventionally-fed cows. It is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and lower in omega-6 fatty acids. A third-party lab test found Maple Hill Creamery's milk to contain twice the amount of total omega-3 fats, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than conventional milk and a more favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats. Additionally, the brand's flavored yogurts are made with pure extracts or fruit puree and, according to the recent lab tests, have about half the added sugar compared to many national yogurt brands.
- Reduced environmental footprint. 100% grass-fed dairy farming focuses on moving the cows, often several times a day in the growing season–through pastures to the best grasses–so they can stay strong and healthy, thereby producing the highest quality milk. This method prevents overgrazing, captures more rainwater for healthy water tables, puts carbon back in the soil by increasing grass production, and increases the overall health and fertility of grazing land.
PCO's 100% GrassFed standards were developed over a four-year process through research of existing certification programs, consultations with industry professionals and farmers, as well as the incorporation of information from scientific publications. The certification is currently open to farmers and producers with PCO Organic certification. Over time, PCO is hoping to expand the 100% GrassFed program by working with other U.S. organic certifiers to administer its 100% GrassFed certification.
According to Lee Rinehart, PCO Director of Education and Outreach, the 100% GrassFed certification program entails:
- Defining what "100% grass-fed" means by setting standards of exactly what kind of plants the cows can eat. For example, the following feeds are not allowed: grain or grain byproducts; corn kernel or corn kernel byproducts; cake or meal foodstuffs; concentrates; food processing byproducts or waste; small grain or corn allowed to mature past the vegetative state; and sprouted grains.
- Adherence to standards by requiring operations to submit annual updates along with their organic certification updates every year.
- Participants passing an annual inspection in order to remain in compliance with the program.
- Operators submitting their feed ration yearly and documenting the management of pastures to maintain vegetative grain-free state.
- Foods that are made from 100% grass-fed dairy (such as yogurt, butter, and cheese) can be certified if all animal-derived ingredients (such as milk) meet PCO's 100% GrassFed Organic standards.
- Use of the 100% GrassFed Seal to be used on all qualifying products, consumer communications, and marketing materials.
About Maple Hill Creamery
Maple Hill Creamery is a family-owned dairy manufacturer founded in 2009 with the simple desire to make the healthiest yogurt for our kids, using 100% organic milk from our 100% grass-fed cows. We soon found that 100% grass-fed organic dairy farming was better for everyone from the cows to our loyal consumers. 100% grass-fed dairy farms produce the highest quality milk, support the healthiest lifestyle for cows, improve the fertility of grazing land, and allow farmers to earn a premium wage. Maple Hill Creamery products are available nationwide at Kroger, Sprouts, Stop & Shop, Vitamin Cottage, Wegmans, and Whole Foods Market, as well as many independent retailers. The new 100% GrassFed Certification Seal will be seen on products beginning in late September 2014. For more information on our products and the certification, visit www.maplehillcreamery.com.
Source: Maple Hill Creamery
