Aurora Dairy, CSU sign research agreement

BOULDER -- Aurora Organic Dairy and Colorado State University have announced a multi-year, $500,000 master research agreement.

Aurora, a leading U.S. provider of high-quality private-label organic milk and butter based in Boulder, will work with CSU's College of Agricultural Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, which is in the College of Applied Human Sciences. CSU professors and leading professionals in agricultural sciences will lead the research initiative, funded by a three-year $500,000 grant from the Aurora Organic Dairy Foundation.

The research, according to a press release from Aurora, will focus on animal welfare, veterinary medicine, growing perennial forage crops and optimizing soil fertility for organic pasture development in the Rocky Mountain West.

Findings will be shared with the organic agriculture community to build the industry's knowledge base and capabilities for continuing the sustainable growth of organic agriculture, particularly in Northern Colorado -- one of the most productive dairy regions in the country, and home to CSU.

Aurora operates organic dairies in the Kersey and Platteville areas of Weld County.

The partnership will provide students enrolled in CSU's Organic Agriculture Certificate Program with scholarships, and hands-on learning and research opportunities through on-farm internships.

The research partnership will be based at Aurora Organic Dairy's Platteville dairy farm. CSU students will conduct the research at Aurora Organic Dairy's three dairy farms in northern Colorado, as well as on CSU's Agricultural Research Development and Education Center north of Fort Collins.