Finally a solution
A new dairy standard
Join Lifeway Foods and other industry innovators in creating a new dairy standard -- more premium than conventional, less bureaucratic and rigid than organic -- to meet both consumers and products where they are.
The problem
Organic is rigid
Organic certification rules are outdated and don't always align with modern best practices. For example, organic mandates prohibit the use of necessary medical treatments like antibiotics, even when used responsibly — forcing farmers to either forgo treatment or lose organic certification. Minor and reasonable deviations are not tolerated. Certification itself is also expensive and complex, driving up costs that get passed on to consumers. Organic is an all or nothing expensive choice for producers and therefore, adoption lags.
Consumers want choice
Many tiers like eggs and beef
Consumers want a series of choices. Eggs have conventional, cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised; beef has conventional grain-fed, antibiotic-free, grass-fed, and grass-fed & finished. These food-based voluntary standards are powerful and desired.
Producers want recognition
Reward "better"
Many dairy farmers are limiting routine antibiotics and using pasture-based, grass-fed practices weather permitting, but get zero credit for these improvements. Consumers have no way of knowing when dairy farmers are making herd healthy choices.
Share your thoughts
A new voluntary certification: "clean dairy" or "better dairy"
Lifeway Foods is delighted to share these draft ideas to start an industry conversation on creating a new voluntary certification -- perhaps "clean dairy" or "better dairy" -- with specific producer improvements that lead to nutritional benefits. If there is stakeholder interest and buy-in, some entity would have to be created or designated to manage the certification, select the name and brand and define the criteria. These suggestions are meant to start the conversation and plant the idea that change is possible.🌿 Feeding & Pasture Practices
✅ Pasture-based feeding (minimum % of diet from grazed fresh pasture during grazing season — e.g. 30–60+%)
✅ Grass-fed (higher % of forage-based diet overall — e.g. 75–100% of dry matter intake from forage)
✅ No prophylactic antibiotics in feed (avoiding subtherapeutic use that can affect microbiome and residues)
✅ No synthetic growth hormones (such as rBST/rBGH — already banned in many markets but worth including)
✅ Non-GMO or identity-preserved feed sources (depending on regional availability)🥛 Milk Handling & Processing
✅ Minimal heat processing (low-temp pasteurization when feasible) — can preserve more heat-sensitive vitamins and enzymes
✅ No synthetic additives (no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives)
✅ No ultra-filtering that strips beneficial components (depends on product — more about transparency)🐄 Animal Health & Welfare
✅ Responsible antibiotic use only when medically necessary (prevents residues and supports overall herd health)
✅ Access to outdoor exercise and natural behaviors → healthier animals → healthier milk
✅ Low-stress handling practices (stress can alter milk composition)🌎 Environmental & Soil Health (indirect nutritional impact)
✅ Regenerative grazing (improves pasture nutrient density → improves forage quality → improves milk micronutrients)
✅ Avoidance of persistent pesticides/herbicides on feed crops (potentially reduces contaminant load in milk fat)
✅ Biodiverse pastures (greater diversity of plant intake → more complex, beneficial milk fat profiles)Nutritional outcomes supported by research:
Higher omega-3 fatty acids
Better omega-3 to omega-6 ratios
More conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
More fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, K2)
Higher antioxidant content
© Lifeway Foods. All rights reserved.
Thank you
Together we can shape our future and deliver a win-win-win voluntary standard for dairy