TV presenter Kate Humble has renewed her continuing support for a campaign which encourages people to "pause for thought" when buying milk, and make a switch to organic.

In the last few weeks she's been targeting the people of Devon to do just that.

Ms Humble has teamed up with the Organic Milk Cooperative to front the Break the Habit campaign, hoping that by switching to organic milk shoppers can make a positive change to the natural world around them.

She says that even a small change in milk purchasing could have a very positive effect on the wildlife in the fields and hedgerows of Devon.

With 64 organic dairy farms already in Devon she believes we have a chance to make an even bigger impact right on our doorstep.

Kate Humble says: "We are often guilty of shopping on autopilot, particularly when it comes to those everyday purchases such as milk.

"If the population of Devon currently buying conventional milk switched to organic, it would turn nearly 150sq km into organic land."

Adam Westaway, of Philham Farm in Chulmleigh, says: "As an organic farmer I see the positive impact that organic farming has not only on our own cows but on the wildlife all around us.

"Our organic grass grows using sunshine and natural fertilisers like clover, rather than chemicals, allowing our cows to do what they do best: turn rich grass into great organic milk for the breakfast tables in the region."

Mr Westaway's practices are widely applauded, but the dairy industry as a whole has mixed views on organic milk production.

Not so much on its worth, for few would argue that it aspires to make a positive contribution to our food culture, but more on the tendency by some of its supporters to make unfounded statements and inaccurate claims.

The Journal spoke to Andrew Hockridge of High Park Farm about whom we did a feature a month ago.

Mr Hockridge had recently installed a state of the art cow shed at his Littleham farm and has environmental interests at the heart of his dairy farm's future.

We asked him for his views on Kate Humble's statement.

Mr Hockridge said: "Firstly, I've got nothing against organic farms of any type, I wish them all well, but what worries me is that there is a lack of understanding about what organic really means.

"For example, I do all I can to run an eco-friendly farm. I care about the welfare of my animals and about my environment.

"I'm not an 'organic farm' as such but my guess is I'm not far from it. When I use something artificial I do so for very sound reasons and it's usually something that helps the overall health of our animals. The last thing I want to do is harm them or our environment."

Mr Hockridge continued: "The Food Standards Agency has said that there is no nutritional difference between organic and non-organic milk.

"So that's worth bearing in mind, plus, when you actually start to look at things in more detail you might find that some organic farming practices leave a bigger carbon footprint than certain conventional methods.

"For one thing they tend to use a lot more 'tractor hours' for the same amount of food production, something which is unlikely to be beneficial to the environment."

NFU Dairy Board Chairman Mansel Raymond also commented on the matter, saying: "Kate Humble should read the industry's Environmental Plan for Dairy Farming or Defra's Milk Roadmap; both highlight the work already being done by our dairy farmers to reduce their environmental footprint.

"There is no robust scientific evidence to prove that organic milk is healthier or that organic dairy cows are happier.

"Indeed, with the need to feed a growing population, and an increasing demand for dairy products, never has it been more important for conventional and organic producers to work together."

North Devon's dairy farmers, both conventional and organic, take their environmental responsibilities seriously, continually looking at ways to make their businesses more efficient while having less impact on the environment.

Indeed, overall, British farms are now relying less on processed fertilisers, pesticides and antibiotics, and many are trying to find the right balance, wanting to use natural "organic" methods wherever possible or prudent.

The main concern for all dairy farmers has been the reduction in their numbers due to the low prices paid for liquid milk together with what some see as the over-burdensome regulation of government.

There have been encouraging signs recently with prices paid for milk on an upward trend.

Increased public awareness of their plight and support from the UK consumer has also helped.

Perhaps, now more than ever, this is a time when all strands of the dairy industry should be pulling in the same direction.

Andrew Hockridge's final comment summed the situation up: "As things are currently labelled, organic and non-organic will have to exist side by side, but we need a far better understanding of what the terms really mean.

"We should all be fighting for better prices and less daft regulations. Surely what all dairy farmers want are healthy animals in a healthy environment making a healthy profit. Everyone would be happy then."