Question about organic dairy production/animal treatment

It really depends on what company you are buying from. Horizon dairy is the largest organic dairy source, and many "store brand" organic dairy products are actually Horizon. They take a pretty large scale, factory farming approach to their business, and I do not feel they treat the cattle nearly as well as they should.
Organic Valley is a better option: they are owned by all of their family farmers, and have much higher standards than Horizon.

Thanks for the info! We always try to buy Organic Valley because of the bad things we've read about Horizon. I'm still wondering if, even on Organic Valley farms, calves may be taken from their mothers and sold to be raised/raised for veal in inhumane conditions as happens in factory farms. Does anyone know where I could find this out?

this website is a wealth of info...

http://www.cornucopia.org/

Horizon is really BAD. While I don't buy much dairy in the stores, what we do buy is Organic Valley and the raw dairy that we buy is all from an Organic Valley farmer and there farm is very nice, well kept and all the animals look really good. They rotate the pastures frequently and clean them so well that it doesn't even smell there.

This might help. http://cornucopia.org/index.php/dairy_brand_ratings/

click on "Understanding the Brand Ratings" and "Find Your Favorite Organic Dairy Product: View the Organic Dairy Brand Ratings Scorecard"

Very useful info. Organic Valley is rated pretty good.

I do know its really hard to find a dairy farm that doesn't separate calves from mom VERY young- like days old. The calves don't get cow's milk, so people get to drink it. And I guess its stressful for the mama- her instincts are telling her to be with her baby.

eta- didn't see that the site was already posted. oops!