The debate regarding the benefits of organic milk versus regular milk is ongoing. Last year Martha Stewart explained why organic milk lasts so long (the process of ultrapasteurization), but as a post from environmental blog The Green Pages informs us, there are other facets of organic milk to consider when attempting to determine if making the switch is the right decision for you.

Organic diary has several positive factors that lead it to be a safer, healthier choice for you and the environment. Organic milk has no antibiotics (versus conventional milk that has some) and no pesticides. The USDA "tested 788 samples of milk in 2005 and found, on average, residues of more than 2.5 pesticides per sample. Most worrisome are residues of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides and other developmental toxins in nearly half of the samples of conventional milk." (The SCOOP Newsletter, January 2008) The USDA has also done testing that measured the level proteins and amount of vitamins- in which organic milk has been concluded to have more.

As for the environment, "organic farming builds soil organic matter more effectively than conventional farming, sequesters far more carbon, dramatically lowers the amount of nitrous oxide released from over-fertilized fields, uses less energy, does not rely on routine applications of toxic synthetic pesticides, and promotes biodiversity." (The SCOOP Newsletter, January 2008).

Hit the jump to read the rest of this post, which helpfully goes on to explain the differences between organic, raw, whole and skim milk.

» The Green Pages