What if cows were treated so ethically that vegans drink their milk?
The dairy, meat and fish industries have come under a lot of scrutiny over the years. As a result, many conscious consumers around the world are switching to a vegan diet to avoid animal products altogether. But what if there were an animal-friendly and humane approach to treating cows that would make their milk suitable for anyone concerned about ethics?
In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I interview Nimai Pandit, co-owner of Gopal Farm, and Champion of Ethical Milk. Located in the Hudson Valley in New York, Gopal Farm specializes in growing both specialty, heirloom Indian vegetables, spices and Ayurvedic herbs, as well as ethical milk products from their small herd of dairy cows.
In Sanskrit, Gopal means "Friend of the Cow" to highlight the special care Nimai and his team treat their cows. Even though vegans don’t eat or drink any animal products, Nimai believes their cows’ milk is suitable for anyone with ethical concerns about the dairy industry.
As an example of one of the many things Gopal Farms does differently, Nimai puts aside some money from each sale into a “retirement fund” for his cows so they can continue to live on his farm even if they don’t produce any milk!
In this episode we discuss the philosophy of keeping cows, the state of the dairy industry, and whether ethical farming is economically viable in the 21st century.
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