The Nature of Protein: From Soil to Milk

An image of a cow, flowers, soil, milk, butterfly, and a woman.

Protein in soil. Protein in pasture. Protein in cows. Protein in milk. Protein in you. Coincidence?

As we introduce our new Organic Valley^® Protein Plus^™ Ultra-Filtered Milk, it is also a good time to look at all things protein. Why does it matter, you ask? Well, protein is a BIG deal for human health and beyond.

Without protein, basic life processes wouldn’t work. Here's the science: The building blocks of protein (amino acids) are constantly being recycled. Nitrogen, a key component of amino acids, moves from soil to plants to animals to people through the food system. At each step, it’s broken down and rebuilt to support life.

The protein in milk ultimately begins with healthy soil. Soil nutrients help grow grasses, grasses feed cows, and cows transform nutrients into milk, which contains protein. Your body uses that protein to grow, repair, and stay strong.

Let's take a closer look at protein, starting with what's under your feet (and something Organic Valley farmers work closely with): soil.

Protein in Soil

Close up of Ginger Sarvinski’s hands as she plants seeds in containers. — Ginger Sarvinski plants seeds in rich soil at her organic farm in California.

As plants and other living things break down and decompose, their nutrients return to the soil. There, proteins break down into nitrogen, which helps new plants and pastures grow and make their own protein. Organic farmers rely on natural processes to improve soil fertility without using synthetic substances prohibited under the USDA National Organic Program.

Protein-rich Pastures

Clover blossoms and leaves are shown up close. — Clover grows on pasture at the Stoltzfus family farm in Wisconsin.

Healthy soils help cycle nitrogen, giving plants the building blocks they need to make their own protein. Fresh pasture, especially grasses and legumes like clover and alfalfa, are full of protein for grazing animals. Organic Valley farmers believe in the power of pasture. Our cows spend at least 120 days outside on organic pasture under the requirements of the USDA National Organic Program.

Protein in Cows

Cows roam on the DeBernardi family farm in California.

Protein is important to cows for movement, growth, tissue repair, and strength, like it is for humans. It’s also essential for milk production. The nutrients in pasture grasses help our 100% grass-fed cows produce nourishing, organic milk.

Protein in Milk

A woman pours Organic Valley® Protein Plus™ Ultra-Filtered Milk from a carton into a glass. — *Organic Valley^® Protein Plus^™ Ultra-Filtered Milk* contains 13 grams of protein per serving.

Milk protein is not transferred directly from plants or soil; it is newly made by the cow. Using microbes in their rumen, cows break down and rebuild protein from forages — including grass, hay, silage, and legumes — to produce milk protein.

Learn more about how cows make milk here.

Protein in People

Three women hold up a little girl who is smiling. — The Mehuren family, Maine

Animal proteins are already in a form that’s easy for the human body to use. Humans make their own protein using amino acids from food including nourishing Organic Valley^® milk, cheese, and eggs. Consuming proteins is important because proteins act as fundamental building blocks found in every cell, tissue, and organ in the human body.

From Soil to Cells: The Power of Protein!

Protein isn’t just something we find in food. It’s all around — from microbes in the soil to enzymes in our bodies and fibers in natural materials. Protein is constantly being built, broken down, and rebuilt all around us.

We could go on and on about protein. Simply put, protein is amazing!