These 4 brands sell the most ethical dairy foods

There are 10% more Canadians concerned about farm animal welfare now than in recent years! The Dairy industry abides by the Canadian food inspection (CFIA) guidelines. However, there are some practices that are questionable. But, thankfully there are Canadian Farms dedicated to raising animals with an ethical Dairy approach. Support these companies looking to make a difference in the Dairy industry.

The Dairy food industry accounts for 18.9 Billion dollars of Canada’s annual GDP! It’s 215,000 Dairy workers who have mandatory routines to maximize profits. These routines are also not necessarily there for the welfare of the animal. There are 20,000 Dairy farms treating 1.2 million cows the same way.

For instance, a newborn Calf is separated from its Mother. Why? Because they drink the Mother’s milk supply. Or conversely, so we can drink the milk intended for them! As a Mother, this makes me angry. Everyone knows the separation of Mother and Baby causes major stress. They cry for one another and suffer emotional and physical pain.

At present, there are no governing laws making it mandatory for companies to label animal welfare. Yet, large factories are using marketing terms to hook “health conscience shoppers”.

Such as, natural, grain-fed or vegetarian. These labels do nothing to guarantee the welfare of a cow. Watch out for free-range labels, as well, because the CFIA doesn’t do any inspections.

What can Dairy drinkers do to make a difference? If you buy Organic Milk you’ll guarantee an animal a better life! They’ll have access to quality food, pastures, better indoor air quality, and space.

Most big farm factories treat their animals in tightly confined quarters with antibiotics. These animals are living with death and feces which is why they need it. However, an Organic cow is never treated with more than two rounds of antibiotics.

I’ve listed three companies that are trying to provide ethical dairy options for the consumer. They’re looking for ways to make a difference one way or another.

Firstly, we have Ben and Jerry’s nondairy ice cream which wins the medal for an ethical ice-cream product! They’ve created it with almonds but have kept their ice creams great tasting!

11 flavors fall into the zone

B&J’s supports Fridays for Futures. They also believe that climate change is a big problem. They’ve put their pints of ice-cream on an endangered list due to global warming. Cocoa beans and nuts like almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts and coffee production will begin to suffer. Hot weather without cold spells will mark a time when production will decrease and prices for the commodity will increase.

Since 2002 they’ve launched a carbon offset program for their manufacturing facilities. Then in 2007, they created a global warming campaign. B&J’s teamed up with David Mathews to help send a message!

Climate change will change life as we know it! They have a long history in the fight to raise awareness for climate change! This company also strongly believes in fair trade with farmers.

They’ve sourced five major ingredients from farmers that treat people well. Cocoa, Sugar, Vanilla, Coffee, and Bananas all come with a certification of good ethics and great taste.

Next, Activia yogurt is a brand name you can look for while searching for an ethical dairy product. These flavors below do not contain Genetically Modified Organisms.

Activia’s parent company Danone is part of the Certified B Corporation. This organization knows that the world’s problems cannot be solved by governments and nonprofit organizations alone.

The B Corp. “envisions an economy as a force for good.” Their shared core beliefs come from the idea that businesses must be the change the world seeks. 

They run ethical businesses, above all else… including profits. They follow a principle where each company is interdependent upon one another. Thus responsible for one another and future generations.

Finally, the Oikos brand is serving up sweet and delicious yogurt and managing to align their goals to an ethical dairy cause. Global warming.

Triple zero boasts zero preservatives, zero artificial sweeteners, and zero fat. There are 14 flavors that don’t contain GMOs.

Oikos’s also has a new Organic line with both plain and vanilla flavors which also do not contain GMOs.

Danone the parent company committed to becoming Carbon neutral as of 2050! From farms to facilities they are the first of 100 companies that align their carbon trajectory with the Paris agreement.

Equally important, a nonprofit initiative will govern the science-based target they intend to meet. Not only do they monitor their progress they’ll help them stay on track to reach their goal.

Danone has plans to take responsibility for their packaging by switching their current plastic packaging to Biomass bottles. However, not all biomass plastic degrades. It’s projected that the plastic industry is leaning into bio-based plastics that still won’t biodegrade properly.

The biomass plastic in many cases will only degrade in higher temperatures. So, there won’t be enough heat to make the biomass disappear when it’s dumped into the ocean.

It’s important that we support ethical Dairy companies when we’re shopping. Next time you’re at the grocery store and reach for your favorite Dairy product you’ll know more about the ones too trust.

You’ll know which brands have taken corporate responsibility to the next level. A place where corporate profits don’t rule the board meetings. They’ve taken social causes and animal welfare to the heart of their business.

Read more about this issue:

Food Choices

The ethical treatment of Cows – Scotland edition