Guest post

This was written by our esteemed veterinarian here at Northview and is something folks really should be aware of....

Beware, American Consumers!

I am writing to inform the unwitting American consumer, that they are being duped and defrauded by the Retailers of America, of which, Price Chopper has just joined the ranks. There is a rapidly growing movement to sell milk by large processors and retailers (Wal-Mart, Dean Foods, Price Chopper, etc.) at a higher price to the consumer by calling it "rBST-free", or "artificial hormone free” milk. BST (Bovine Somatotropin) is a naturally occurring hormone produced by all cows in response to lactation. All milk has the same amount of BST in it, whether or not cows are injected with rBST (Posilac). So the milk that is labeled as being different and sold at a premium is no different.

rBST (recombinant Bovine Somatotropin) is a FDA-approved supplement, that about 20-30% of our Dairy Farmers use to help cows produce more milk. It is one of the most heavily researched and studied drugs to ever be approved for use in Animal Agriculture, and has been in use for over 12 years. It is simply a tool that helps dairy farmers make a living.

Aside from the baseless fear marketing to the consumers, what is the most troubling about this trend towards “rBST- free” milk is that it is occurring at a time when farmers are enduring the worst prices they have ever seen. They are receiving the same for their milk that they received in the 1970's and 80's, yet we all know how much more fuel, electric, and other inputs cost today. Under current market conditions, not a single dairy farmer is making a profit milking cows.

To add insult to injury, they are being coerced into giving up a safe, approved technology, without adequate and fair compensation. The only people profiting from “rBST-free” milk are the processors and retailers. It is very troubling to me that the labels are illegal and misleading, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which is not enforcing its own labeling laws. So please don=t be mislead. All Milk is Milk. Whether it is produced Organically, or non-Organically, with r-BST or without. It has the same composition. It is all antibiotic free. It all has hormones in it. Milk is Milk.

The only way to stop this movement of selling milk through fear tactics is to not buy it. Buy regular milk; the same milk you have been buying forever. Don't spend your hard earned money on a marketing ploy, that is illegal and misleading, and driving dairy farmers out of business. Our farmers are the most efficient food producers in the world. We need to support them and appreciate them, or we will some day be as dependent on foreign food as we are on foreign oil.

Kris Harshman, DVM

Dairy Veterinarian since 1985