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The Ethical Dairy: What is it?
The Ethical Dairy’s organic cheeses are made using the cow-with-calf method, which prioritises animal welfare. They offer a delicious selection of farmhouse cheeses that they deliver straight to your door from their own dairy herd in Southwest Scotland. You can also discover a new favourites with one of their subscription options.
Rainton Farm, home to The Ethical Dairy, is the first commercial dairy in the UK to adopt the cow-with=calf method. This farming practice allows cows to raise their calves naturally, keeping them together for an extended period. Being a trailblazer in the field hasn’t always been easy, but The Ethical Dairy owners David and Wilma (pictured) continue to prove that it’s possible to combine animal welfare, sustainability and exceptional quality.
For that real ‘farm to fork’ experience, The Ethical Dairy offers cheese-making courses and in-depth farm tours.
The Ethical Dairy inspires us with their innovation and sense of responsibility. Plus, they combine two of our favourite things: cheese and ethics. What more could you ask for?
The Ethical Dairy best-sellers:
The Ethical Cheeseboard
£66
A Cheesy Night In
£39.60
A Cheesy Night In (No Blue)
£39.60
The Ethical Dairy: How Sustainable is it?
The Ethical Dairy is redefining dairy farming by nurturing a harmonious relationship between the animals, the land, their community, and the environment, ensuring that all are treated with care and consideration.
The intensification of dairy farming had been a concern of theirs for many years, so they worked hard to come up with a different solution: a new method of dairy farming that keeps the calves with their mothers to suckle for five to six months. This system prioritises animal welfare while also enhancing the overall health and productivity of the herd.
Trialling the full cow-with-calf system for the first time in 2012, they said: “The impact it made on cow contentment was staggering. We noticed the cows seemed calmer and more confident, so we spent several years exploring ways to make cow-with-calf viable on our farm.”
The Ethical Dairy embraces organic farming and maintains on-site milk production, making the transfer easier and reducing their environmental footprint. Their certified net-zero operations include a micro anaerobic digester, which processes food scraps and manure into gas that can be used for energy and a natural fertilizer called digestate.
The farm’s methods help support wildlife and reduce the use of chemicals. Over the past 20 years, they’ve cut agrochemical use by 90% and seen a fivefold increase in biodiversity. These changes are a shift away from the harm caused by industrial farming, focusing instead on restoring and improving the land.
Their cows also live twice as long as those on traditional farms, thanks to their healthier, low-stress environment. Antibiotic use has been reduced by 90%, a major step in improving animal health and preventing antibiotic resistance, which is a serious issue where bacteria become stronger and harder to treat with medication, posing risks to both animals and humans.
The Ethical Dairy’s soil management practices have also contributed to making their farm carbon negative, meaning they take in more carbon than they release, even more than commercial forestry. This transformation is backed by 25 years of soil organic carbon data, reinforcing their role as a leader in climate-positive agriculture.
Through ongoing innovation and transparency, The Ethical Dairy demonstrates that sustainable dairy farming is possible and highly effective when it comes to balancing ethical production with environmental care. You can explore their blog or read their memoir, A Dairy Story, to learn more about their groundbreaking methods and journey.
The Ethical Dairy: Where Can I Buy it?
Shop online at: theethicaldairy.co.uk
