USDA Dismisses Complaints Against Aurora Organic Dairy.

Organic Leader Accelerates Transformation Plan for Platteville, Colo., Organic Dairy

BOULDER, Colo. -- Aurora Organic Dairy, a leading provider of high-quality organic milk and butter, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has dismissed the complaints against the company,

Under the agreement with USDA, the company will amend the farm plan for its Platteville, Colo., location to reflect the company's existing transformation plans, and inform USDA of its progress. The agreement also affirmed the validity of each of Aurora Organic Dairy's current certifications under the National Organic Program.

"We are very pleased with both the dismissal and the valuable input from USDA. This result allows us to accelerate the transformation of our Platteville organic dairy farm," said Mark Retzloff, president and chief organic officer of Aurora Organic Dairy. "Through cooperation with the USDA at all levels, we will remain focused on our mission of making high-quality organic milk and butter more affordable and available for American families."

Aurora Organic Dairy also confirmed the outline of its re-development plan for the Platteville dairy facility, which is now underway. The company's plan for the Platteville farm includes a substantial increase in the amount of organic pasture acreage, to approximately 400 acres, and a significant decrease in the size of the farm's organic dairy herd, to about 1,250 milking cows. About three-fourths of the farm's existing buildings and paddocks are being razed and converted to pasture. In addition, all incoming and replacement animals will be organically-born. The Platteville facility also will become a focal point for Aurora Organic's ongoing research and teaching relationships with leading universities and institutions, with increased support from the company for organic dairy research and education.

"When Aurora Organic Dairy was established in 2003, we began work at the Platteville farm with a vision of bringing organic dairying to Colorado through organic conversion of an existing dairy," said Dr. Juan Velez, M.V., M.S., D.A.C.T., large-animal veterinarian and vice president of farm operations for Aurora Organic Dairy. "Our long-term goal is an organic farming system that exceeds NOP requirements with innovative, pasture-based farms where all incoming animals are organic-born." Dr. Velez added, "We share a vision with many in the organic dairy community that farms should raise their own organic animals from birth."

"Colorado is home to many of America's finest organic farms and companies," said the Honorable John Stulp, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture. "We're proud of the positive role companies like Aurora Organic Dairy have taken to build organic agriculture in our state, as well as the positive impact on our agricultural economy." The Colorado Department of Agriculture is the organic certifier for Aurora Organic Dairy's Colorado farms.

"We currently certify Aurora Organic Dairy's milk processing plant in Colorado and all of its Texas facilities," said David Abney, vice president of the United States' largest organic certifier, Quality Assurance International. "Aurora Organic Dairy has maintained an unbroken certification record with us, and all facilities certified by QAI meet every provision of the National Organic Program."

"I am personally committed to the principles and success of organic agriculture and to the conversion of land to organic practices," said Retzloff. "In addition to our pasture-based farm programs, we are actively involved in the research and promotion of sustainable organic systems with leading institutions and universities. We look forward to sharing more about these initiatives with the organic community in the near future."

About Aurora Organic Dairy

Aurora Organic Dairy's mission is making high-quality organic milk and butter more affordable and available for American families. The company is a leading producer of private-label and store-brand organic milk and butter. The organic production company includes headquarters offices in Boulder, Colo., and an organic dairy farm and on-farm organic dairy processing plant near Platteville, Colo. A second organic dairy near Dublin, Texas, comprises 2,800 acres of pasture, croplands, and milking facilities. A third organic farm, High Plains Organic Dairy, near Kersey, Colo., began organic milk production in fall 2006. Aurora Organic Dairy's newest organic dairy farm, Coldwater West, near Stratford, Texas, began organic milk production in summer 2007. For more information, visit www.auroraorganic.com.