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Some dairy farms fight to keep use of growth hormones in cows 3-13-08
(Foodconsumer.org) -- A group of dairy farmers with financial support from
Monsanto, the manufacturer of Posilac the synthetic bovine growth hormone used
in one third of U.S. cows to increase milk production by one gallon per day per
cow, are fighting to defend their right to use the drug, The New York Times
reported.
American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, or Afact
was founded in the fall of 2007. The times said Monsanto and a Colorado
consultant hired by the company to promote Posilac participated in the
organization of this group. Monsanto admitted giving money to the organization,
but said dairy farmers in the organization make their own decisions.
The drug of concern is recombinant bovine somatotropin, also known as rBST or
rBGH. The FDA has said it is safe to use in cows to increase production of milk
while many other countries prohibit use of this drug in dairy cows, according to
the times. Preventcancer.com says that European countries and Canada ban imports
of U.S. milk because of use of the synthetic hormones. Opponents of Posilac said
that cows treated with synthetic hormones are more likely to suffer a number of
illnesses.
From the regulation viewpoint, it's unlikely that the government would block
farmers from using the drug or others. Afact may not be worried about this. The
problem the "conventional" milk producers may have is that more and more
Americans have dropped the conventional milk for the natural milk from cows
untreated with synthetic hormones.
One thing the Posilac supporters can do to prevent consumers from avoiding the
"conventional' milk is to lobby lawmakers to prohibit their competitors from
labeling their milk as "hormone-free". One old argument is that when you use
such language, you mislead consumers to believe that "hormone-free" milk is
superior to the milk from hormone-injected cows. Because of this, producers of
natural milk are required to add working aside a "hormone-free' claim to
indicate that milk from Posilac-injected cows is not inferior or the
hormone-free milk is not superior to the conventional milk.
Regardless of the safety issue, a survey cited by the Times found 80 percent of
consumers said labeling of milk from cows untreated with injected hormones
should be allowed so that consumers can have a right to know and choose what
they are going to eat and drink.
In response to the consumers' demand, the food market has no longer enjoyed the
"conventional" milk as much as before. Starbucks claimed they would drop milk
from hormone-injected cows, media reported earlier. Whole Foods and Wal-Mart,
cited by the Times, also opted to sell "hormone-free" milk only. Kraft was said
to have a plan to sell cheese labeled as having come from untreated cows.
The Times report says "Afact has embarked on a counteroffensive that includes
meeting with retailers and pushing efforts by state legislators and state
agriculture commissioners to pass laws to ban or restrict labels that indicate
milk comes from untreated cows."
Dennis Wolff, the agriculture secretary of Pennsylvania last fall tried to ban
milk that was labeled as free of synthetic hormones because he claimed that
consumers were confused, which turned out to be supported by no evidence. Wolff
withdrew the move when consumer groups and Gov. Edward Rendell balked. But the
state in the end tightened up the language on milk labeling.
According to Michael Hansen, affiliated with Consumer Union, the publisher of
Consumer reports, labeling changes have seen as an issue in recent months in
other states including New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas Utah, Missouri and
Vermont.