Tillamook Creamery lawsuit and PCC
Editor’s note: PCC regularly receives member questions about Tillamook cheese and other Tillamook products, specifically regarding an ongoing lawsuit accusing the Tillamook County Creamery Association of misleading marketing. The lawsuit filed in 2019 by the nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund says that Tillamook advertises its products (Tillamook cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, and others) as local foods from small family farms when the majority of its milk comes from “the largest and most industrialized dairy factory farm in the country.” Tillamook said in court documents recently that the farm’s size does not dictate the quality of care its dairy cows receive, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. The Oregon Supreme Court is currently considering whether the case can move forward as a class-action lawsuit. Here is one of the letters we have received on the Tillamook issue, and PCC’s current position on Tillamook products.
Tillamook Lawsuit
I’m curious if PCC has done research and found the claims in a lawsuit filed against Tillamook Creamery to be false? I very much rely on the thorough research PCC does to ensure environmental and animal welfare are considered in the products you source. I’ve been a huge Tillamook fan for years but have stopped buying their products until I can understand if these allegations are true.
PCC replies: Thank you for writing. We understand your concerns about Tillamook. We too are keeping track of the ongoing lawsuit over their marketing claims.
PCC has had a long history of working with the dairy to drive meaningful change in its practices. For example, nearly 15 years ago PCC advocacy played a critical role in Tillamook’s decision to ban the use of the controversial synthetic growth hormone, recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), in cows that supply the dairy’s milk. At PCC, we focus on setting strong and achievable standards to support mission-aligned companies and set a high bar.
Today, we don’t stock Tillamook yogurt, ice cream, sour cream or most other products. We carry Tillamook cheese, which is extremely popular among shoppers, because it is a regional brand with a strong following and loyal customer base. Ideally, we would like to develop a long-term strategy to shift customers to purchasing a different cheese, rather than simply buying Tillamook at a different retailer. For example, this type of approach enabled us to move from a cage-free egg standard to one that requires free range and outdoor access, and that was a 10-year long journey.
In our cheese department, it has proven challenging to find a suitable alternative with a comparable price point to Tillamook. We hoped at one time that Organic Valley cheese would be that other option, but they stopped producing the larger block cheeses in 2020. PCC does have a Private Label cheese that is certified organic and produced by a dairy in Oregon; however, it’s a jump in cost compared to Tillamook.
Similarly, we recently added Tillamook butter to our shelves because of a gap where we have been unable to source other lower-priced butters that meet our ingredient standards. PCC had also briefly carried Tillamook butter in 2022 during a regional butter shortage at the holiday season.
In the interim, please know we have regular discussions about Tillamook to review carrying their products. Our co-op is constantly calibrating our decisions based on our triple bottom line that seeks to balance people, planet and profit. Tillamook is an interesting case as a Certified B Corp, they do operate under a cooperative model, and provide transparency in many aspects of their business. They have a climate action plan, track progress on goals around water reduction, packaging improvements, and emissions reductions.
We are not trying to make excuses for selling Tillamook, and making these kinds of decisions while balancing the different needs and priorities of our business and communities can be challenging and frustrating at times for us as well. We are so glad to have engaged customers and members (like you!) that seek to understand the decisions and complexities we face.
We are deeply committed to strong standards, to our communities, to the health and wellbeing of our ecosystems. We hope this explanation helps explain the position that we are in as we monitor the outcome of the lawsuit.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated since it was originally published to reflect that PCC stores currently stock Tillamook butter.
Letters to the Editor
Share your views with other PCC members and shoppers by sending a letter to the editor for consideration to editor@pccmarkets.com. Letters that are printed may be edited before publication. See other letters to the editor here.