Submitted by: MyShan Dairy
MyShan Dairy of Lynden recently received Non-GMO Project Verified status for its premium Guernsey whole milk, becoming one of the few dairy facilities in Washington State to offer a Non-GMO Project Verified product.
Mylon Smith, who owns MyShan Dairy with wife Shannon, said many consumers want to avoid genetically modified ingredients in their food. However, the Smiths didn’t want to pursue organic certification because that wouldn’t allow them to treat ailing cows with antibiotics and some pain medications.
“This is another choice for health-conscious consumers, offering a price that fits between conventional milk and organic milk,” Mylon Smith said.
The Non-GMO Project has verified that MyShan Dairy’s premium Guernsey whole milk has less than 0.25 percent GMO contamination and its herd consumes feed with less than 5 percent GMO contamination. The farm is located along the Canadian border, four miles north of Lynden.
MyShan Dairy sells more than 25,000 gallons of milk annually at The Green Barn and Front Street Market in Lynden, Dodson’s IGA at Nugents Corner, Haggen stores in Whatcom, Skagit and north Snohomish counties, Terra Organic and Community Food-Co-op stores in Bellingham, the Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op, Camano Plaza IGA on Camano Island and Sound Harvest Delivery. The farm is working toward verification for its chocolate milk.
The comprehensive verification by the Non-GMO Project, a nonprofit organization, took two years for MyShan Dairy. The Smiths had to ensure the entire supply chain of food fed to its Guernsey herd didn’t include genetically modified ingredients.
MyShan Dairy made some changes, such as using non-GMO wheat and barley rather than ingredients such as corn and cottonseed, which primarily come from genetically modified seeds. MyShan Dairy’s food supply then underwent third-party testing by the Non-GMO Project.
For more information, visit www.MyShanDairy.com or call 360-410-7777.
