Concerned over milk labels? Check out this information
More shoppers are wanting their milk without the synthetic growth hormone.
Associated Press
Ohio’s agriculture department has loosened its restrictions on milk carton labels that advertise milk made by cows that are free of synthetic growth hormone.
Here a few questions and answers consumers might have about what the labels will mean to them and the debate over the issue.
Q. Why the debate over milk labels?
A. Dairy producers who don’t use synthetic hormones want to promote their product by labeling their milk hormone-free. But farmers who use the hormones object to the labeling, arguing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t found any difference between milk produced with or without the artificial hormones.
Q. What is this hormone and why is it used?
A. It’s called recombinant bovine somatotropin, or rbST, and duplicates a naturally occurring hormone found in cows. Dairy farmers use the hormone to increase milk production, which helps their profits and keeps the prices lower at grocery stores.
Q. Is it safe?
A. Labeling opponents say there’s no testing to show there any dangers. But critics say it makes cows more susceptible to infection, requiring more antibiotics. They say this could lead to more antibiotic-resistant bacteria that could impact humans. Canada and the European Union have banned its use.
Q. Is it new?
A. No, the FDA approved its use in 1994.
Q. Then why is this being debated now?
A. Shoppers are paying more attention to what they eat and drink and more are asking for milk without the hormone. So dairy farmers trying to meet demand began selling milk in containers that say the product is hormone free.
Q. Who opposes the labels?
A. Consumer advocates say Monsanto Corp., which sells the hormone, is pushing states to force dairy farmers to include a disclaimer that FDA has not found any differences between treated and untreated milk.
Q. What have Ohio officials done?
A. Gov. Ted Strickland in February signed an emergency order stopping the use of hormone-free labels unless they also contain a disclaimer of equal size. Ohio’s agriculture director Robert Boggs on Tuesday announced a new rule that the disclaimers can be half the size of the hormone-free claim.