The Department of Agriculture announced new rules regarding organic milk and meat on Friday. The Department is sharpening the standards for organic milk and meat by applying these new rules. The new rules are meant to settle a dispute in the organic agriculture industry over how much time cows at organic dairies must spend grazing on pasture.

Federal agriculture officials said that now the organic milk and meat must come from livestock that graze in pastures at least four months of the year and that 30 percent of their feed must come from grazing as per the new rules. The old rules required only that animals have access to pasture.

"Clear and enforceable standards are essential to the health and success of the market for organic agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement yesterday.

The new rules will be in effect by June this year and farmers and ranchers will have one year to comply with the new rules. The Organic Trade Association (OTA) said that it is very much pleased by the release of the USDA final access to pasture rule for organic agriculture.