Aurora Organic Dairy President Mark Retzloff told Fortune Magazine in late September that charges that the company's products violated organics standards are unfair, and the company has threatened to sue its critics. After signing a consent agreement with the USDA in late August, Aurora reduced the size of its herd from 2,200 cows to 1,250, and increased its pasture to 400 acres from 325 acres at its Platteville, CO, dairy. Yet, even after the settlement with USDA, the company continues to be subject to intense criticism by Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute, which alleges that Aurora’s large-scale operation does not provide its dairy cows with adequate access to pasture. According to an Aurora press release, "Aurora Organic also has sent a letter to Cornucopia Institute, the Organic Consumers Association and the Center for Food Safety, demanding that they cease publication of false disparaging statements about the company and its products. Statements by these groups have mischaracterized USDA's findings and its agreement with Aurora Organic, and the company believes the false statements have been made deliberately to injure Aurora Organic and its customers." In related news, Aurora released its first Organic Stewardship Report, which is available at the company's website. The report, which will be updated at least annually, provides details about the number of cows and acres of pasture at each of the company's dairies, metrics of animal health, and various other measures of sustainability. Founded in 2003 by Retzloff and partner Marc Peperzak, Aurora specializes in supplying private-label organic milk products to companies such as Safeway, Wild Oats and Costco.