Beyond Organic -- Food Alliance certification for Cedar Grove Cheese

Eco-labels and fair trade certification are becoming more noticable.  The USDA organic standards don't address all of the issues that are important to some consumers. (Recent news items regarding Target, Wal-mart, and Aurora/ Horizon dairy products issues illustrate the issue.) This article from wisbusiness.com caught my eye this morning:

PLAIN, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cedar Grove Cheese, a family-owned company in operation since 1878, is the first food processor in the Midwest to meet comprehensive standards for sustainable practices established by Food Alliance, a national nonprofit that provides third-party certification throughout North America. The certification assures buyers of the company’s safe and fair working conditions, conservation of energy and water, reduction and recycling of waste, and other sustainable practices. Thirteen dairy farms were also certified for standards that include labor conditions, humane animal treatment, and conservation of soil and water, enabling them to supply Cedar Grove Cheese with milk for Food Alliance certified cheeses. more