Lawsuit: Aurora milk not really organic

When you buy organic, you assume you're buying a product that lives up to a standard that you've chosen for yourself: No pesticides, antibiotic-free, produced in a sustainable manner. Some argue that as big business gets a hold of the organic "brand," the ideals behind the certification will get watered down as companies find loopholes or and drive down prices.

Aurora Organic Dairy, based in Colorado, is one of the biggest distributors of organic milk in the nation. Large grocery store chains like Walmart, Costco, Target, Safeway, and Wild Oats Market buy Aurora's milk and sell it as organic under their own store label. The company is being sued by law firms on behalf of consumers who bought the milk assuming it met organic standards. They say that the conditions on the farm do not meet organic standards, and more closely resemble factory farms.

Aurora disputes the claim, but the company has come under fire before by the USDA, who found over a dozen violations from 2003-2006. You can read more about the case here. Whether Aurora is guilty as charged or not, It's just another reminder that -- if sustainability is really important to you -- you should know the company you're buying from.