I was dismayed to read in yesterday's NY Times that the Pennsylvania Dept of Agriculture has decided to ban milk and dairy labeling that indicates that the cows who produce it have been treated with a bovine growth hormone (known as rBGH or rBST): read Consumer Won't Know What They're Missing. You probably already know some of my feelings about milk if you read my piece on Ultra-Pasteurized Milk. I've sought out milk that clearly indicates it is from cows NOT treated with growth hormones ever since I had kids. I've done the research, and I know that there isn't scientific evidence of negative effects from this milk (although it remains illegal in most of the rest of the world which is suspicious). And I can't imagine a mother ever taking growth hormones when nursing her infant no matter how lacking her milk supply. Why should it be OK to feed our kids (and ourselves) milk from cows who are treated to those very things? [Or, at the very least, be denied the ability to have this choice??]
It's funny, I did not agree with the New York city ban on hydrogenated fat. Why? I believe that informed adults should make their own choices. Given clear information, consumers will vote with their wallets, and business will respond. Unfortunately, food labeling information in the U.S. has frequently been obscured due to food industry lobbying efforts: factors such as country of origin labeling have been hard won (and still not really implemented or enforced) and food packaging and marketing often seem to be intended to confuse us into buying products ("whole grain" products, for example, which may be less than a tablespoon of whole grain unless the label clearly indicates "100%").
How can Dennis Wolff, Secretary of Agriculture for Pennsylvania, take away consumers' rights to make their own dairy choices? Even removing health reasons as a consideration, consumers today choose products based on social considerations from animal treatment to environmental treatment to "Organic" certification in almost every other food category. How can milk, one of the top 5 food groups in the U.S. diet, be exempt from providing consumers this basic information in the state of Pennsylvania (and Ohio may follow soon)? It doesn't take much research into Secretary Wolff's background to see his close ties to the dairy industry -- not to mention, as stated on his department profile, his ownership of a 600-acre dairy cattle operation. I wonder if his cows are treated with growth hormones?
If you feel strongly regarding Wolff's decision you can email his office or write to him at: PA Dept of Agriculture, 2301 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, PA 17110
Years ago before hormones were ever injected into cattle I could drink milk, eat cheese, etc. Now I cannot have any of it because it will not digest in my body. I have found that cattle that does not have the hormones (locally) I have no problems with digesting. I wonder why anyone would want to risk others' lives? So very sad what Pennsylvania is doing.
Posted by: Joy Smith | October 20, 2008 at 05:57 PM