US – The benefits of organic dairying are making a positive impact on employment levels, income, gross state product and industry output, according to a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).The seminal UCS report, «Cream of the Crop: The Economic Benefits of Oragnic Dairy Farms,»Â analysed financial data from the Vermont and Minnesota to evaluate the economic effects of organic dairying.
The impacts of 180 Vermont organic daries contributed $76 million annually to the state’s economy and supported 1,009 jobs. In Minessota an even greater $78 was created by 114 farms creating 660 jobs.
Also compared was the hypothetical economic value of a conventional dairy farm and an organic enterprise under identical levels of increased sales.
Vermont organic dairy farms were expected by contrbute 33 per cent more to the state’s economy than conventional farms and 83 per cent more employment and Minessota would increase by a slightly smaller margin of 11 per cent more with 14 per cent more employment.
Source: The Dairy Site
