Cows and meadows belong together. Beautiful meadow landscapes have been shaped by the dairy industry for generations. It’s a lovely sight to see cows grazing in these meadows. Cows in meadows also have the space to exercise their natural grazing behaviour.
Meadow milk comes from farms where the cows are free to roam in meadows for at least 120 days each year, from Springtime through to the Autumn, and for at least 6 hours a day. In modern dairy farming it is not self-evident that cows will be free to graze from Spring to Autumn.
Dairy farmers can also decide to graze their dairy cows for at least 120 days and at least 720 hours per year. For example, if less grass is available, they can graze the cows for fewer hours a day and more days.
The Meadow Milk logo guarantees that the dairy products are made from meadow milk. The milk from farms that graze their cows is collected separately and processed into fresh dairy products – such as milk, buttermilk, custard and yoghurt –, cheese and other dairy products in a separate production chain.
The Grazing Foundation assures the production process, transport and processing of meadow milk. Inspections of dairy farmers and the processing chain are performed by independent, competent Certifying Bodies.