Proud of its recognition as a World Heritage Site

Have you heard? Recently, our beloved hay milk was certified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been declared an agricultural world cultural heritage! For us, as hay milk producers from the very beginning, this is an important milestone: Ever since WOERLE was founded in 1889, we have focused on the high quality of our cheese products – then as now, the valuable "primordial milk" is our most important raw material. The fact that Gerhard Woerle was the first cheese producer to focus on the term "hay milk" in his communications in 2007 shows that the company was already thinking and feeling close to nature at a time when sustainability was still considered a niche term. For this reason, we also call ourselves "hay milk pioneers."

Hay milk farmer on meadow with milk can in hand

WITHOUT YOU NOTHING WORKS

But the honor doesn't just belong to us, but also to our most important partners, the farmers from Flachgau and Mondseeland. For centuries, they have been managing their farms according to the natural principles of hay farming – not out of a desire for efficiency or profit, but motivated by their close connection to animals and nature. We thank you for your tenacity, even in difficult times, for the good cooperation over so many generations, and for your trust in us!

BETTER MILK, BETTER CHEESE

What does the Agricultural World Heritage mean for you, the connoisseurs? First and foremost, it reassures you that hay milk is not a fad. This recognition is nothing more and nothing less than official confirmation of the centuries-old importance of hay milk in the diet and culture of many societies. Hay milk stands for tradition and innovation, for quality and respect for nature – values that we at WOERLE also uphold.

Not all milk is the same

What distinguishes hay milk from conventional dairy farming? The answer is quite clear: Our Flachgau and Mondseeland cows graze on lush pastures, enjoying a wide variety of fresh grass, aromatic herbs, and flowers. In winter, they are fed fragrant hay, enriched only with a little mineral-rich crushed grain. The result? Milk of the highest quality that not only tastes good but is also rich in valuable folic acid and other vitamins (e.g., vitamins A, D, E, B2, B6, and B12).

We follow principles

With the recognition as an agricultural world cultural heritage site, WOERLE, in close collaboration with dairy farmers, commits itself to the 5 hay milk principles:

1. Food and livelihood security

Due to the special quality of hay milk, traditional cheeses such as WOERLE Emmental or Bergkäse Produced entirely without preservatives and without mechanical treatment. Furthermore, the ancient milk not only secures the existence of small and medium-sized farms, but also of tourism businesses – particularly by preserving the landscape of the Alps and their foothills.

2. Agro-biodiversity

WOERLE has with its “islands", a dedicated project to protect biodiversity. The sustainability program benefits both flora (a wide variety of herbs grow on a hay meadow!) and fauna: rescue islands are so-called safe habitats for the protection of insects such as bees, beetles, butterflies, and small game. Both worlds are protected in their biodiversity through small-scale, mosaic-like management, staggered mowing times, and fewer cuts per summer.

3. Local and traditional knowledge

Farming families have always passed on their nature-based expertise to the next generation. For example, how is hay best harvested, dried, and processed into high-quality forage? Or: How are traditional cheeses like Emmental or mountain cheese naturally made from raw milk (which must be hay milk!)? This ancient knowledge also benefits the climate: Hay milk farming is the least environmentally damaging form of milk production. Grassland soils bind a lot of CO₂ or carbon in humus and thus belong (like forest soils) to the CO₂-countersinks.

4. Culture, value system and social organizations

In addition to cultural aspects (such as traditional alpine farming, customs such as the ascent and descent of the cattle, traditional costumes, and old recipes), hay milk also has legal and institutional implications. For example, the hay milk regulations of the ARGE Heumilch (Heumilch Association) and the EU quality seal (gtS) (more on this below) guarantee compliance with certain standards regarding feeding, fertilization, and animal welfare.

5. Features of the landscape

Austria's "hay milk country" stretches from the main Alpine ridge, with its steep mountain peaks and green valleys, to the lovely lake district of Flachgau and Mondseeland, home to the WOERLE farmers. Hay milk farming has created a particularly charming cultural landscape here. While tourists from all over the world appreciate this natural beauty, the rural regions themselves depend economically on tourism and thus on the preservation of the cultural landscape.

UNDER ONE ROOF

Which organization represents the interests of hay milk? Of course, there is also a need for a higher-level institution that defines the above-mentioned standards for the quality and sustainability of hay milk, awards the hay milk seal of approval, represents the interests of hay milk farms externally, and communicates the benefits of ancient milk. Such an umbrella organization was established in 2004 with the ARGE

Hay milk was founded – with WOERLE as a founding member. The umbrella brand now unites 6.500 Austrian dairy farmers and 60 processing companies.

In the coming weeks, we will provide you with more exciting information about hay milk and WOERLE. If you'd like to know more now, you can find the facts at www.woerle.at, www.heumilch.com and https://www.fao.org

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