It’s All About Milk Quality
To kick-off National Dairy Month, I thought it appropriate to talk a little bit about milk quality. After all, that’s how our delicious dairy products begin — with high quality milk. It doesn’t come by accident; milk of the highest quality comes from the healthiest of cows who are cared for by the best of people. Particularly when it comes to our aged cheddar cheeses, we believe our ability to develop the full cheddar notes and perfect texture can specifically be related to fresh, high quality milk.
I thought it would be fun to share a video I took early one morning on a cool spring day of cows as they walk in from the field to their morning milking. I also feel compelled to say that it was the first time I used my handy dandy little flip video camera, so sorry about the poor filming (I’m getting much better now).
The cows in the video are Holsteins. In the Tillamook Valley, about 60 percent of the herds are Holstein with around 30 percent being Jersey cows. The rest are a combination of Brown Swiss, Guernsey and Dutch Belt. The cows on this dairy gave such high quality milk that last year their dairy was recognized as one of the top three in our cooperative for milk quality. The award is based on an analysis of specific quality indicators. It isn’t easy to achieve, and takes a lot of hard work and desire to deliver the best possible product.
July 15th, 2011 at 8:49 am
whos farm was this video taken on
July 18th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Hi Joel! Thanks for reading our blog! We actually don’t disclose that kind of information about TCCA farmers or their cows, so I can’t say whose farm this is. It’s a way to protect farmers’ privacy. Thanks for understanding!
-Tara of the Tillamook Team
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:47 am
We love your delicious vintage white cheddar cheese!
With regard to sustainability, do you test your milk for other contaminants, such as trace herbicides and pesticides? I am hoping to learn more about the purity of your products.
August 3rd, 2011 at 5:27 pm
Thanks for your question, Cheryl! Quality has always been a hallmark of the Tillamook brand, beginning with the milk delivered to our facilities. We believe healthy, happy cows produce the highest quality milk. We collect fresh milk daily and test each load to be sure it meets the standards we have set to be eligible for use in Tillamook dairy products.
Our farmer-owners have each signed a pledge to never use artificial growth hormones and require the same commitment from all dairymen that supply milk for our products. Additionally, every tanker load of milk received is strictly tested for antibiotics. If any tanker tests positive, even if a trace amount is detected, the entire load will be disposed of immediately, never reaching our consumers.
We take care at every level to handle milk gently and to maintain high safety standards; from cooling milk within minutes of milking the cow to adhering to strict safety measures at our cheesemaking operations. Each year, farmers in our cooperative are awarded for their quality and consistency on a local and national level.
If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us at info@tillamook.com.
Thanks!
-Tara of the Tillamook Team
September 24th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Why is it I’m having so much trouble finding your Vintage Sharp Chedder Baby Loaf?Your company can’t even tell me which stores sell this product.
September 26th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Hi, Leanna. Thanks for your comment. I understand your frustration. We use brokers and distributors to get Tillamook products out to grocers so they are the ones placing the orders and, thus, know where our products are being shipped. We are working on a solution that will allow us access to this information. For now, you can view stores that carry Tillamook products on our Where To Buy page.
Thanks for your patience, and for being a loyal Tillamook Fan.
~ Jala of the Tillamook Team
December 18th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
What exactly do Tillamook cows eat? Do Tillamook cows graze on grass? How much exercise do Tillamook cows get?
December 20th, 2011 at 11:29 am
Hi there, Alex! Great questions. I think this may help – http://www.tillamook.com/faqs.html#faq53 and http://www.tillamook.com/faqs.html#faq52. Let me know if you have any other questions about Tillamook cows.
Jala of the Tillamook Team
May 6th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Are your cows fed non-gmo feed? Much of the animal feed including alfalfa and corn contain genetically modified organisms. Also some supplements contain GMOs. Are the feed and the supplements that you give your cows, non-GMO?
May 7th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Hi Karen, thanks for your question. Our farmer-owners and all the dairymen who supply milk for Tillamook dairy products use a variety of forages and grains for feed. While the mixture varies dairy to dairy, it’s likely to include a mix of grass, alfalfa, some corn silage, and grains such as barley or soy. All of this is balanced by a nutritionist who also adds a vitamin/mineral supplement to ensure the healthiest cows possible, and thus the highest quality milk.
The feed used by our farmers and suppliers is both home grown on our farmer’s fields and purchased. With the prevalence of GMO feed, it’s difficult to avoid; 95% of all soybean and 80% of all corn production in the U.S. is of the GMO variety making non-GMO feed hard to obtain and limited to the organic marketplace.
I hope that’s helpful! If you have additional questions, the best way to reach us is using our Contact Us form: http://www.tillamook.com/contact/index.html
~ Katy of the Tillamook Team
July 15th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
We purchased a package of your sliced Cheddar cheese and love it. We had never heard of Tillamook until then. We bought it at Costco last week and that is the only place we have seen it. We live in North Carolina so Tillamook is a long way from us!
I just went to your website and read about your team of dairy farmers. I admire the pride you take in your cows, land and cheese production. We will certainly buy more Tillamook products when we go to Costco. Thank you.
July 17th, 2012 at 11:23 am
Hi Nancy,
What a find! So happy you were able to get Tillamook Cheese in North Carolina. Thanks for the kind words. We take great pride in our cooperative and product so its great to hear that you do too! Thanks for being such a great fan!
- Laura of the Tillamook Team
August 17th, 2012 at 11:47 am
I came here specifically looking to see if there were GMO’s in your products. Your cheese is the best out there, hands down. I am VERY dissappointed that you don’t require your farmers to not use GMO products. Scientists are now putting their names to the proof that GMOs cause Infertility, cancer, Asthma and liver problems, among other things. This is the best article I found on the subject…http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp/the%20truth%20is%20out%20on%20genetically%20modified%20foods%20-%20and%20it's%20not%20pretty I hope you will rethink your stance on it. If rBST is an issue for you, GMO should be just as important. I know it would be huge finding suppliers who don’t carry GMO corn or say, but those farmers and your company should help the population, not hurt it. That is HUGE.
August 17th, 2012 at 11:48 am
BUt with that said, at least you are honest about it. SO many companies are trying to hide the fact that they use GMO’s. I just hope you change it.
August 21st, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Hi Heidi,
Thanks so much for your comment. I think you will be happy to know that Tillamook does not use genetically modified ingredients in Tillamook Cheese! I understand your concern with feed and if you have specific questions, please contact us here: http://www.tillamook.com/contact/index.html We will be happy to answer any question. Thanks for being a fan and for posting your concerns!
- Kelly of the Tillamook team
September 10th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Dear Tillamook,
I’m soooo disappointed to hear that your cows eat GMO feed. I’ve eaten Tillamook cheese since I was a kid back in the 70′s, unfortunately my family will not be purchasing in it the future due to to the GMO fact I’ve quoted from above:
“The feed used by our farmers and suppliers is both home grown on our farmer’s fields and purchased. With the prevalence of GMO feed, it’s difficult to avoid; 95% of all soybean and 80% of all corn production in the U.S. is of the GMO variety making non-GMO feed hard to obtain and limited to the organic marketplace. ”
Regardless of whether you add GMO ingredients to the cheese when processing, GMOs are still in the cheese if they are being feed to the cows.
Very sorry to hear this. In the future we will stick to Organic Cheese.
~Kathryn
September 11th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Thanks for sharing your feedback Kathryn. I’ll be sure to pass that along to the rest of the team. All the best!
- Kelly of the Tillamook Team
September 20th, 2012 at 8:15 am
Wow! So disappointed to read your cows eat GMO feed : (
Your cheese has always been our familie’s favorite but we will no longer buy or eat it after learning all the terrible things it is doing to us. Hope your company changes that.
September 20th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Thanks for sharing your feedback Robin. I’ll be sure to pass that along to the rest of the team. All the best!
- Kelly of the Tillamook Team
September 21st, 2012 at 9:12 pm
like the previous two posters, my family has been eating tillamook cheese for decades. however, given GMO foods has made my husband sick (as studies are also concluding), we are going to be buying organic cheeses only and will no longer be buying tillamook products – cheeses, ice creams, etc. do your customers a favor and let your cows graze on grass the way nature intended. you’ve lost us as life long customers. i also want to say shame on you and every other business who has been helping to inflict unnecessary suffering on the populace by using GMO products, which are as my spouses doctor said “crap we were never intended to eat”.
September 26th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Hi Lori!
Thanks so much for your comment! Hearing form fans is important to Tillamook and I will make sure the Cheese Team knows about your concerns. Thanks for taking the time to let us know how you feel.
- Kelly of the Tillamook Team
September 30th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Extremely sad to hear GMO’s are a part of the feed. Buy organic milk not fed on GMO products. Do you know what it is doing to our population!
I am on the hunt for cheese that is NON GMO. Perhaps Tillamook should think about making a organic cheese. I am sure it would sell well!
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:43 pm
Hi Nikki,
Thank you for sharing your opinions on our products. It’s important to us that we know how our consumers feel, and I will be sure to pass your comments along to the team. Please note that Tillamook Cheese does not contain any GMO ingredients. You might find this link helpful.
-Amalya from the Tillamook Team
October 5th, 2012 at 10:20 am
Dear Tillamook,
Your cheese tastes amazing. It smells amazing. I would love it, except that I choose not to eat it, because somewhere out there, a farmer who grows part of your cow feed is wondering whether or not to trust the Lord Jesus in growing food, or to use GMO seeds to increase crop yield. If we as men and women want to grow more, we should definitely pray. Work the land, not the lab!
Thanks for responding to all the above posts that were critical of you for using GMO feed. And I hope, thanks in advance for never using GMOs again!
Patrick
October 6th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
I have to say that I really appreciate you publicly sharing your stance on GMO’s in your cheese. I came to your website today seeking that very information and I am pleased to see your transparency on the issue – when many others would simply lie.
Like the others before me, I’ve been a loyal customer for years, and I am truly disappointed that your company doesn’t understand that cows fed GMOs are not “healthy, happy cows” , nor do they “produce the highest quality milk.” As of today, I will no longer be buying your products.
I think your company is in a unique position to support some of your farmers getting their organic certification. You can provide them with incentives – since you already know that you will have a market for your organic cheese – organic being one of the fastest growing markets at this time – it’s not like they will go through the certification process and not have anyone to sell their milk to AND it’s not like you’re going to get your hands on all of this organic milk and not have a market to sell it to. It’s in their best interest and yours.
Or help your collective of dairy farmers to get the non-GMO feed they need by providing incentives to soy, alfalfa, and corn farmers to grow the GMO free products that your farmers need. If you can get a collective of farmers to grow the milk you need for your products, why can’t you get a collective of farmers to grow the GMO free feed your cows need? You aren’t some tiny, artisan cheese maker, Tillamook Cheese Company, you’re a huge manufacturer – why don’t you use some of your power to do the right thing and get those GMOs out of the cows who make the milk for your cheese?
October 10th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Patrick, thank you for your comments and for sharing them here on the Tillamook Blog. I will make sure to pass your feedback along to the rest of the Tillamook team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
October 10th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Erika, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate where you’re coming from, especially as a long-time Tillamook fan. I will be sure that the rest of my team hears your comments.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
October 21st, 2012 at 6:40 pm
Hi there,
I’m with Erika. The GMO thing is too big to ignore. Even if you don’t certify organic,.. In fact, it may be more important to go GMO-free. These are untested products – at least, untested in a way that matters. And no, cows eating GMO products can’t possibly be happy healthy cows. Monsanto, the primary producer of GMO products doesn’t have a stand-up reputation for doing the right thing, honesty, integrity, or anything else your company seems to stand for.
I have bought your products for years, been to your factory, and have often recommended your cheese. But I can’t in good conscious do that. now. I do appreciate your transparency – thank you for that.
I’d love to see Tillamook be one of the company’s contributing to and supporting California’s right to know currently on the ballot. And soon, we’ll have a similar measure on an upcoming ballot in Washington state. And then take steps to make it so with your own products.
Thank you.
October 24th, 2012 at 10:38 am
Hi Laura,
Thank you for your comments and for sharing them here on the Tillamook Blog. I will make sure to pass your feedback along to the rest of the Tillamook team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
October 25th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Dear Tillamook team,
We love your cheese and your spirit and yours has been our primary cheese for many years., However, we are also determined to eliminate GMO products from our family food supply as much as we are able. We wish you could offer that alternative for us at Costco, and we would gladly pay more for such a product.
With California soon to require labelling of GMO, perhaps you can get ahead of the curve on this issue and take advantage of this quickly exploding market. We would prefer your product if available, but we feel strongly that we need to move away from as many sources of GMO contamination as possible.
All the best to your team,
Jon
October 26th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Hi Jon,
Thanks for making Tillamook your cheese of choice for so many years! Your feedback is incredibly important to us, so thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! I’ll be sure to pass your comments along to the rest of the Tillamook Team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
October 28th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Dear Tillamook Team,
I have to agree with the above posts! I used to buy Tillamook all the time for my family to enjoy, your Vintage White Cheddar is simply the best! However, I switched to buying grass fed cheese about a year ago since a good majority of the feed is GMO. I would love to be able to purchase Tillamook again, but am unable to until you switch to a GMO free feed. Perhaps you could even produce an organic version for those of us who’d rather not be part of the GMO experiment, I know I’d certainly be willing to pay more for it!
Thanks,
Mei
October 30th, 2012 at 7:24 am
Hi Mei,
Thank you for your comment and for sharing your opinion with us. It’s important that we know how our consumers feel and I will certainly make sure the rest of the team hears your feedback.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
October 30th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Hi,
I too have been buying your cheese for my family for 30 years. I have chosen your cheese over other brands because of its high quality and lack of growth hormones in the milk. I toured your factory on a vacation in 93. I was just checking up on whether you used GMO feed for your cows and it looks like you don’t. I am very disappointed to find this out. Would REALLY appreciate being able to purchase cheese that is made with GMO/hormone/antibiotic* free milk. I don’t mind having to pay a little more to get the better quality ingredients. (Of course, I realize animals who get sick need meds sometimes — I am referring to the practice of giving them when they aren’t needed)
Please let me know when you have GMO free cheese!
November 2nd, 2012 at 10:36 am
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your feedback. We sincerely value input from our loyal customers, and with that in mind I wanted to try to provide a little clarification on some of the things you mentioned in your comment. As we’ve mentioned in some of our other responses to commenters here on the blog, the farmer-owners and all the dairymen who supply milk for Tillamook dairy products use a variety of forages and grains for feed. The feed used by our farmers and suppliers is both home grown on our farmer’s fields and purchased. It is extremely difficult, if not impractical particularly for small family farms like our co-op members, to source any feed for cattle that is 100% verified as GMO-free, given how pervasive GMOs are in the grain supply chain in the U.S. Even organic feed for organic farms is extremely difficult to verify as GMO-free because of cross pollination in the field. This is why feeds are eliminated from the language in California’s Prop 37, which instead focuses on companies that are intentionally adding GMO ingredients directly to their products – something we do not do at Tillamook.
Also, with regards to antibiotics, it’s important to know that our farmer-owners depend on healthy cows for business success, and we have strict policies in place to ensure antibiotics never reach our milk supply. While milking cows are not typically given antibiotics, sometimes, as you mentioned, when an individual animal is sick it is necessary for farmers to medically treat them with an appropriate antibiotic (just like humans do). During their treatment, the animal is taken out of the milk-producing herd, and their milk is not used until the cow is tested to show that the antibiotics have cleared their system. As an additional precaution, every tanker of milk we use is tested for antibiotics. If a tanker tests positive, for even a trace amount, the entire load will be disposed of immediately, never reaching you, our customer.
Also, please note that Tillamook Cheese is naturally aged and made with the highest quality milk available from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones. We make our cheese slowly and let it age naturally with time to develop the best flavor possible.
We understand the GMO topic in particular is a sensitive one, and we will continue to closely monitor it in the weeks and months ahead and, in the meantime, we will continue our commitment to practicing good sustainable practices on the farm including delivering quality animal care, ensuring our milk is free of antibiotics and produced in the most natural way possible, and taking numerous steps to protect the quality of the Tillamook Bay watershed. We do hope you will continue to enjoy Tillamook products.
Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
November 18th, 2012 at 11:02 pm
As an Oregon native I’ve grow up on Tillamook ice cream and cheese. It has always been a staple in my refrigerator. Sadly I can not support any company that can’t support my need for GMO free food. Unfortunately I will not be buying your product anymore. I really hope Tillamook can come to some kind of resolution for this. Until then I will have to find an alternative to my favorite cheese for the past 40 years.
November 19th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Hi Jaime,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. I will be sure that the rest of the team hears your comments.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
November 19th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
I am upset to hear that tillamook has GMO’s in their cheese, I WILL NO LONGER BE BUYING YOUR PRODUCTS.
You better grow your own feed and get with the program because GMO’s are going to bankrupt you. We are a growing force and we will no longer put up with this GMO crap.
November 23rd, 2012 at 1:57 am
Just wanted to say I don’t want GMO in my food either. I wouldpay more and do pay more for non GMO food. please make a Non GMO product. Your consumers will support you.
November 25th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Hi John,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will make sure that the rest of the team reads your comments.
Sincerely,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
November 25th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Hi Shawna,
Thank you for voicing your feedback. I will be sure that the rest of the team hears your thoughts.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
December 1st, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Wow! I really do love Tillamook cheese and I can see that many other people do. It is evident from so many comments from so many people encouraging Tillamook to make a commitment and only use naturally feed and grazed cows, the way the Good Lord intended, that people love your cheese. We all know that Tillamook has high integrity to bring cheese of high quality to our tables and for this we gladly pay extra. And gladly will we rejoice when Tillamook takes care that the cows they use lived healthy happy lives eating unmodified grains from the earth. And once more we will pay extra. This is because we love your great product. Thank you Tillamook for being a company that we can believe in. Now bring us the cheese!
Sincerely,
Nicole
“Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23
December 3rd, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your commitment to Tillamook and your passion for high quality cheese. I will be sure to pass your comments along to the rest of the team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
December 30th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
I am aware that most corn and soy are gmo, but I wasn’t aware to the extent of the cheese I have been eating. I assumed Tillamook had the highest quality but since finding out your farmers use gmo feed, I will no longer eat your cheese. There are cheeses made without gmo fed cows and there are feeds without gmo in them. I would be willing to pay the higher price for “good” cheese. So disappointed to know your farmers had to succumb to Monsanto’s poisoned crops. If your farmers were to use higher quality feed, the cost may be more, but the cost to humanity would be less.
December 31st, 2012 at 10:12 am
Hi Vali,
I will make sure to share your comments with the rest of the team. I appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
January 8th, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Thank you for your honesty in this thread, but I agree with other posts: I am disappointed to learn that your products are not gmo-free. I hope that Tillamook will consider the broader implications of supporting the market for gmo-fed livestock. As a leader in your industry, please do right by your loyal customers: provide healthy products with unadulterated ingredients.
Thank you,
Hedda
January 9th, 2013 at 8:20 am
Hi Hedda,
Thank you for your comment and feedback. I will be sure to pass it along to the rest of the Tillamook Team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
January 13th, 2013 at 5:55 pm
I too have been a long time consumer of Tillamook cheese…I have been feeding your cheeses to my kids since very young. We are a GMO free household and eat mostly organics. I was extremely disappointed to hear that you feed your cows GMO feed and will discontinue using Tillamook immediately starting with the new one I just bought in the fridge being returned to the store tommorrow… until that changes we will have to buy else where.
January 16th, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Hi Lori,
Thank you for voicing your feedback with us here. I’ll be sure to share your comment with the rest of the team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
January 21st, 2013 at 1:46 pm
I am going to chime in with everyone else in expressing disappointment at the farmers possibly using feed that has GMO grains and soy. Is Tillamook considering updating it’ stance on GMO ingredients in their feed?
Your products are amazing, but I will stop buying them until things change. I do not feel comfortable feeding them to my family.
Thanks for all your great input on this thread! It really shows you care.
Laura
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:35 am
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your feedback. We know the GMO topic is a sensitive and important one to some consumers. At times, it can also be complex. As we’ve mentioned in other comments here, it is extremely difficult, if not impractical particularly for small family farms like our co-op members, to source any feed for cattle that is 100% verified as GMO-free, given how pervasive GMOs are in the grain supply chain in the U.S. Even organic feed for organic farms is extremely difficult to verify as GMO-free because of cross pollination in the field. This is why feeds were eliminated from the language in recent ballot measures, which instead have focused on companies that are intentionally adding GMO ingredients directly to their products – something we do not do at Tillamook. Please know that we are passing along all concerns and suggestions expressed here to our leadership team. In the meantime, we remain committed to making all our products with the highest quality milk, in the most natural way possible.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:41 am
We really love your cheese, but buy mostly organic and have decided to go all organic to be sure that our familly is getting non GMO food. We hope that you will have an organic sharp cheddar coming or at the least non GMO!!
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:54 am
Hi Karen,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us here. I will be sure to share you feedback with the rest of the team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
January 30th, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Along with most everyone else, appreciate the honesty, but you just lost another long time customer for the gmo feed.
February 3rd, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Dear Tillamook,
I am deeply saddened to learn that your cows are fed GMO feed. I personally believe that happy/healthy cows DO NOT eat GMO-feed, as nature did not intend so.
What are you suggesting since “given how pervasive GMOs are in the grain supply chain in the U.S. Even organic feed for organic farms is extremely difficult to verify as GMO-free because of cross pollination in the field”?
Are you suggesting that one should just give in to Monsanto and allow themselves to be science experiments simply because of how pervasive the crops are? We as consumers need to protect ourselves, and we will stop at NOTHING to do so.
I recently implemented a completely GMO-free diet, and will have to (unfortunately) give up eating Tillamook products. I can no longer purchase these in good faith, since it is clear that these cows aren’t as happy and healthy as Tillamook likes to pretend. I appreciate the transparency here, but I will only be buying organic cheeses from now on.
February 4th, 2013 at 10:32 am
Hi Hope,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us here. I’m so sorry to hear we’re losing you, but we certainly respect your decision. Please know that I will share your comment with the rest of the team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
February 4th, 2013 at 10:33 am
Hi there,
Thank you for voicing your feedback with us here. I will be sure to share your comments with the rest of the team.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
February 9th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
When I found out that your milk suppliers had difficulties avoiding GMO feed for their cows, I wasn’t surprised in the least. The grain supply in the U.S. is indeed overrun with GMOs and I think few consumers actually take the time to consider who it is they should be voicing their discontent to. I’ll at least throw you a bone here and say I frankly couldn’t care less. You keep doing your thing and I’ll keep buying your cheese.
February 11th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Hi David,
Thanks for your comment! I appreciate your understanding that this is a complex issue and I am so glad to hear that you continue to enjoy Tillamook products. Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Best regards,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
February 13th, 2013 at 8:35 am
Dear Tillamook Team,
I recently moved to Oregon and was pleased to hear that you don’t allow rBST in your dairy yay!!! We passed by your factory this last weekend ( too late for a visit), but it is on our bucket list to go on a tour and eat some goodies in the near future! See you soon!
February 13th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your comment and welcome to Oregon! I’m so glad to hear you’re planning to visit the Cheese Factory!
Can’t wait to see you there!
All the best,
Amalya, of the Tillamook Team
March 2nd, 2013 at 11:31 pm
I just purchased some of your ice cream. While i’m thrilled that it dosen’t contain bovine growth hormone, I was concerned about some onlf the other ingriendients on the label. Reading your posts here you state that Tillimook does not add GMO ingriedents to your products. Listed on the label is corn syrup and sugar. I have recently heard that the majority of sugar is now GMO beet sugar, and corn is certainly a concern. Please comment on whether these ingriendients are NON-GMO sourced. I too am getting fed up with the contamination of our food.
March 14th, 2013 at 8:30 pm
If the cows are fed GMO feed does that mean that they are unable to move around and graze? My biggest concern is the treatment of the cows, really. I’ve seen so many terrible documentaries where the cows are strapped to milking machines, and they look absolutely miserable. Or is it a farm by farm basis? I just want to know what their living conditions are like.
Thanks you!
March 19th, 2013 at 9:54 am
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for reaching out with your questions. I want to assure you that at our cooperative, our farmer-owners and contract suppliers are committed to producing a safe, high quality milk supply by providing their herd with a nutritious diet, good medical care and healthy living conditions. They follow industry best management practices and apply other practices that are best suited to their herd and environment. Many dairy farmers house their animals in freestall barns, which allows the cows to move about to eat, drink or rest whenever they like. These barns let in fresh air and sunshine, and also provide shade and protection from the wind, cold and rain. Our member-owners and all of the farmers who supply milk for Tillamook products have a commitment to quality, and that means taking good care of their cows and the land, because not only is it their livelihood, but it is also the right thing to do. If you’d like to chat more about this, please feel free to reach out to us here.
All the best,
Callie, of the Tillamook Team
March 20th, 2013 at 11:16 am
You can add my name to the list of those who will not purchase cheese made through cows who are fed GM grain. It is interesting how your company has avoided the question of whether or not you test for pesticides in your cheese or not. That response is telling.
April 3rd, 2013 at 11:51 am
Hi Geoff,
We’re sorry to lose you, but certainly respect your decisions. Tillamook always has and always will be an organization that listens closely to our customers and seeks to respond to questions as clearly as possible. Please be assured that there are strict government standards in place to ensure that milk is safe, wholesome and nutritious. Pesticides are used sparingly in crop production and do not pose a health concerns in U.S. dairy products. We perform several tests on our milk to ensure it meets our strict standards for quality and safety. Currently, while a test specifically for pesticides is not routinely performed every day, we can assure you that Tillamook milk is safe. Additionally, dairy farmers consistently meet or exceed the strict regulations set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency about farm practices involving the use of pesticides.
All the best,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
April 5th, 2013 at 11:49 am
Hi Scott,
Thanks for reaching out to us. We know the GMO topic is a sensitive and important one to some consumers, and we want to be as accurate as possible in responding to questions and concerns about it. First and foremost, the core ingredients in all our products are milk and cream of the highest quality produced in the most natural way possible, and neither of these ingredients have exposure to GMOs. In regards to some of the additive ingredients – particularly to our ice cream and yogurt – the answers are a bit more complex. At this time, and in the absence of any clear standards or definitions around genetically modified substances, it is hard to categorize which ingredients are – with certainty – GMO-free. We do use some ingredients like natural flavoring (e.g. sugar or corn syrup for sweetening), natural coloring (e.g. beet juice), and stabilizers (e.g. corn starch and soy lecithin) that have the possibility of being derived from GMO sources because of the pervasiveness of GMOs in agricultural crops in the United States.
Tillamook always has and always will be an organization that listens closely to the suggestions and concerns of our customers, and please know your input will be shared with our leadership team.
Thanks,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
April 9th, 2013 at 9:09 am
I love Tillamook cheese but am so sad to hear about GMOs in feed. I too will be passing over Tillamook in search for a healthier choice for my family. I sincerely hope that Tillamook will take a stand on this important issue!
April 12th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Hi Jill,
Thanks for sharing your feedback with us. I’m sorry to hear that we’re losing you as a fan, but we certainly respect your decision. I’ll be sure to share your comments with the rest of the team.
Thanks,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
April 15th, 2013 at 11:55 am
I will not be buying anymore Tillamook cheese since finding out that the cows are not on pasture like they are supposed to be and are sadly eating GMO feed which is not even real food. I have felt some ill effects from
April 17th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Hi Tillamook team,
What is the average life span for your dairy cows?
Thank you
April 18th, 2013 at 7:21 am
Wow!!! You guys are amazing at responding back especially with such an intense topic!! I like the others am deeply saddened to hear that your cows are fed feed containing GMO’s! We have been buying Tillamook products for years because we LOVE them!! Our children LOVE them but unfortunately we can no longer support Tillamook! I hope and pray that Tillamook reconsiders! As people we are becoming more aware and alert of the things we are putting into our bodies and let me assure you that as people are removing GMO’s from their homes and grocery lists they are also acting as voices to warn others! So when other families inquire as to what is non GMO we help and educate each other! The non GMO movement is growing incredibly, I really hope that you all fix this growing problem so that we can all become loyal customers again!! Where there’s a will there’s a way and I promise you the people will support the change no matter the cost!! After all the health of my family and others families are worth the cost!!
I hope you all have a blessed day!! Sincerely Our non GMO family!!
April 19th, 2013 at 9:12 am
Hi Cody,
Thanks for sharing your feedback with us. I’m sorry to hear about your disappointment, and I’ll be sure to share your comments with the rest of our team.
Thanks again,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
April 19th, 2013 at 9:13 am
Hi Dorothy,
Thank you for your comments. We sincerely appreciate your input, and we understand that this topic is a sensitive one for some of our fans. Please be assured that I will share your feedback with the rest of the team.
Sincerely,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
April 19th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
I will encourage EVERYONE that I know to NOT BUY YOUR BRAND! Either you Do or you Don’t use GMO’s in your products. Your answer is yes. So you sell things that include ingredients that can cause autism, cancer, auto-immune diseases, crohns disease, skin rashes , ultimately death!
NO GMO’S!
April 21st, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Dear Sir, I have always supported and endorsed your company for standing up against Monsanto. However, I am saddened to hear that my product I have been buying from you does come from cows fed Gmo. Glysophate residue on grains have been found at 7 ppm on this feed. Organic damage in rats occured at .1ppm. This study just came out search: gmo corn glysophate residue study. I am sorry but I cannot buy your product anymore till you either have the USDA seal or is Gmo Project verified. I do not understand your reasoning on the Gmo / pesticide issues. You say you reject milk if it has pesticide contaminants and from rbght but allow a game of genetic roulette to be played with our children whom are most vulnerable to these foriegn genes. The Presidential Panel on Cancer 2010 warns us to access our food Grass Fed Beef and free of new untested novel methods of food production. Please take the time to read this report. It is very easy reading.
April 21st, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Amalya, your comment to Karen posted 11am-2 was not entirety accurate. Prop 37 required the labeling of products that were genetically modified in a labratory. This pertained to
seed or animals. Initiatives have to be very specific and can only pertain to one item or they can be contested in the courts.. Either we were to chose one or the other. As in this case it would be secondary contamination from the feed because cows are not yet labratory GM animal. The Gmo. issues were numerous and lengthy as it was so we chose we went with items directly modified. We really wanted to include all gmo even in the feed but we could not it it meant that for all our work it would be overturned in court. Any question write John Diaz Orange area Leader for Labelgmos.org at Diazjohn9@aol.com
April 24th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Dear Tillamook,
I am appalled at the lack of understanding and the criticism that Tillamook has endured because so many people fail to read the statistics and facts that Tillamook so generously & transparently shares with consumers. I have eaten Tillamook products my entire life, and have continued that legacy in feeding my own family including my 16-year-old daughter who is strong and healthy and enjoys life without the ailments that many activists claim are caused by GMO foods. I am saddened by many peoples unwillingness to think logically about the negative economical impact that going strictly-GMO would have on local farmers in your co-op… Not to mention dairy farmers across the country. (I am also discouraged by the same people, who are throwing a fit, and the fact that they just assume Tillamook can snap their fingers and completely revamp every single dairy farmers system of feed so that it’s 100% GMO free. That is an unreasonable expectation.) To those people who were not raised with an agricultural background in their lives, it’s easy to just think an extra few bucks for a product is reasonable. However for those families producing these agricultural products, such as milk, would find that a few extra dollars on their product could be criplling, even to the extent of the end of their livelihood. (If agriculture suffers we all suffer.) And it is very frustrating that people refuse to take into account the good intentions of your co-op farmers, and the fact that they HAVE abandoned so many other traditional farming practices in order to provide the best quality care for their animals. These farmers are not barbarians. They take pride in providing healthy, happy lives for their animals which in turn yield a wonderful high-quality product, using the most natural methods available to them. So many consumers get riled up by sensationalists and instead fail to hear the facts that Tillamook strives to exceed strict federal requirements & standards of production, not to mention the fact that Tillamook itself does not operate the dairies directly, but that it is a co-op of dairy farmers who provide the milk & cream that Tillamook works with, therefore Tillamook cannot control each & every gram of feed consumed by the animals…not to mention every single particle of pollen that transports between fields whose crop is destined to become feed (GMO is in the air we breathe, people!) And the same activists (and/or consumer terrified by activists’ documentaries & propaganda campaigns) choose to ignore the fact that Tillamook has repeatedly stated their position of strict testing & acceptance of only milk & cream that tests WITHOUT a trace of GMO.
My belief is simply this, if you disagree with how others do things, do those things for yourself. If you want your milk products to be 100% organic and 100% hormone-free and 100% antibiotic-free and 100% GMO-free in all forms, if you want that much control, then get yourselves your own cow. Get your own farm. Get yourselves your own production facility. Provide those products for yourself, rather than expecting everyone else to abide by your preferences of the moment. You’ll find out how difficult it is to regulate & manage every single POSSIBILITY just to satisfy what you thought was no big deal. May the dairy-farming fairies be with you. And may you master the control of wind & jet streams so as to avoid the desecration of your precious pure system you hope to establish.
I want Tillamook to know that I hear you loud and clear. I want you to know that I am satisfied with the high-quality product that your company produces. I want you to know I am grateful for the quality conditions in which these dairy cows live, as a direct result of your co-op farmers striving to meet your strict standards of excellence, not just as an attempt to be financially successful, but in order to be conscious of the responsibility back to the animals & the earth. I appreciate the respect you have for what your company and your co-op has been blessed with. My family and I love all of The Tillamook products we are able to purchase, including cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream, sour cream, etc. We love the taste, we love the texture, we love the quality (we truly CAN taste the difference between your products and the competition)! We will continue to be loyal Tillamook customers for the rest of our lives. … The only thing my family’s refrigerator is missing, that would make our love for Tillamook complete, is Tillamook milk itsself. When I can purchase that from my local grocer I will be ecstatic! Thank you for all that you do!
April 25th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Hi Erica,
Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your question. Caring for dairy cattle is a full-time job, and our member-owners and all of the farmers that supply milk for Tillamook products have a commitment to the well-being of their animals, not only because ultimately the animals are the farmers’ livelihood, but also because it’s simply the right thing to do. All dairy animals are provided comfort and safety around the clock while they are in the care of the farmer, from the animal’s birth to the end of life. The average life span of a milking cow is approximately 4 to 7 years, however, some dairy cows remain productive members of the herd for considerably longer.
If you would like to talk more about this topic, please feel free to email us through our Contact Us page.
Thanks,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
April 27th, 2013 at 2:18 pm
Hello there,
I am an Oregonian native, and actually have a family member who worked at the factory for some time. Tillamook, by far, surpasses taste and texture to any other grocery store cheese. My personal favorite is the Swiss, and my childrens is the cheddar. We’re a pretty average family with not too many qualms. I do however have a few comments/requests to note upon.
You mentioned about grain being such a demand for your cows, that you have to search out of the natural realm of food production for your cows and can’t always do GMO free. If you ask me, I think it’s an excuse to stay a large/not so local company. I understand that it may be difficult to stay GMO free, as well as hormone, but it isn’t impossible. We as a whole, need to support the small farmers and businesses who choose natural over modifed. And by supporting Monsanto it isnt thinking about your consumers well being.
I have so many friends that don’t care or don’t know about all the negatives to what gmo actually is and does, but it doesn’t mean it should still happen. If my child is in a park around a smoker, I ask the person to stop, and move away when they haven’t. I don’t continue to let my child breath it in just because it’s a free country for the smoker.
I emplor you’re company to search elsewhere for healthier food for the cows, or downsize for the sake of health for the cows and consumers. I also ask you to remove the color added to the cheese, it just isnt necisarry or needed. colors are a weird gimic that aren’t enjoyed these days. Milk isn’t orange, why should our cheese be?
Think about the trend you’d be setting. So many other companies would be needing to compete with what is already great, and now 100% natural. You would be raising the bar for everyone, and gaining respect from farmers and consumers both!
Until then, I’m gonna have to say bye bye :(
Best regards
Danielle
April 29th, 2013 at 6:01 am
I absolutely love this cheese, i’ve been eating for a few years. However i am like everyone else with the GMO and having to go through the list of everything i eat and cut out what may have traces and may not. So i am just saying with everyone else, please get to making a cheese where the cows don’t eat the GMO feed. your cheese hands down the best there is. (you don’t have to reply to this, just add my name to the list of people who want a GMO free cheese) i just think if all of us speak out and let you know how much we love you and would support your change, maybe through love you will change.
May 2nd, 2013 at 9:48 am
Hi Linda,
Thanks for sharing your concerns with us. Please be assured that I have passed on your comments to the rest of our team.
Sincerely,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
May 2nd, 2013 at 9:48 am
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your feedback. I understand that the GMO topic is important to some of our fans, and I’ll be sure to share your comments with the leadership team.
Thanks,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
May 2nd, 2013 at 9:49 am
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for reaching out to us here. I’m sorry to hear we’re losing you as a fan, but we certainly respect your decision. Please know that Tillamook always has and always will be an organization that listens closely to the suggestions and concerns of our customers, and please know that your input will be shared with our leadership team.
Best regards,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
May 2nd, 2013 at 9:49 am
Hi Tressa,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. I’ll be sure to share your comments with the rest of the team.
Sincerely,
Callie, of the Tillamook team
May 2nd, 2013 at 9:49 am
Hi KR,
Thanks for your support and understanding! I’m so happy to hear that you continue to enjoy our products. Thanks again for sharing your feedback with us.
All my best,
Callie, of the Tillamook team