Aurora Organic Dairy – a Boulder, Colorado-based business with operations in Weld County, including dairies near Platteville and Gill — held a grand opening this month for its new Little Calf Ranch Dairy near Eaton. Aurora currently milks 1,200 cows, with that number expected to grow to about 2,000 in the future, according to an article in Windsor Now.

Aurora also purchased 1,000 additional acres when it expanded its calf-raising operation near Eaton and built the new dairy. Most of that land is devoted to organic-certified pasture to graze the new dairy cattle.

Additionally, Aurora is on the hunt to purchase more acreage in Weld County to grow more organically raised feed for its cows.

Aurora – which has operations across Colorado and Texas – supplies and packages private-label, store-brand, organic dairy products for many large grocery chains, including Walmarts, Safeways, Targets and Costcos.

Sonja Tuitele with Aurora said the business’ growth is tied directly to the ongoing boom in organic demand from consumers. Once just a niche market, large retailers are continually expanding their organic selections.

Many other organic operations in Weld have also been expanding lately.

Already one of the top 10 counties in the nation in agriculture production, many agree that Weld County – in close proximity to cities like Boulder and Denver that are hot beds of organic-product demand – is in a prime location to take advantage of the increase in organic demand.

Because of its high altitude, dry climate and cold winters, the region typically has less insects and crop diseases compared with other agricultural sections of the U.S., meaning local farmers are already less dependant on certain chemicals banned in organic production. PD

—From Windsor Now (Click here to read the full article.)