Farmers’ Day: Why We Trust the Freshness of Korean Milk
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
November 11 is Farmers’ Day. A glass of milk is the result of continuous, meticulous work by dairy farmers. Dairy is a year-round operation: cows produce milk daily, so farmers perform milking twice a day (usually around 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.), and a worker’s day often runs from 4 a.m. to about 8 p.m. On average, a farm spends 71 hours per year per cow in labor, with about 42% of that time on milking. Beyond routine tasks, farmers closely monitor each cow’s health and maintain strict hygiene before and after milking—practices that directly affect milk quality. Over 99% of raw milk in Korea receives a top-grade rating, defined by somatic cell count below 200,000 and bacterial count below 30,000, standards stricter than those in the U.S. and EU. The Korea Dairy Promotion Committee emphasizes that dairy farming is precise management—balancing animal health, barn conditions, and feeding—which ensures fresh, high-quality domestic milk and supports rural sustainability and national food quality.
