Pennsylvanians Forbidden From Knowing If Milk Comes From Cows Treated With Synthetic Hormones (rBST)

Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin, a synthetic hormone given to cows to improve milk production is banned in many countries such as Japan, Canada and the entire European Union. This because its effects on the health of cows is unknown.

Pennsylvania dairies that don’t use this hormone on their cattle have been stamping their milk containers with hormone free labels so consumers, particularly mothers with young children, know if the cattle that produce their milk are hormone free.

This hormone is sold by the Monsanto Co. The Federal Trade Commission has already denied a request from Monsanto that it stop dairies that don’t use synthetic hormones from advertising this fact.

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis C. Wolff doesn’t see it this way. He said advertising one brand of milk as free from artificial hormones implies that the competitors’ brand of milk is unsafe. So, effective Jan. 1, 2008, dairies selling milk in Pennsylvania will be banned from advertising on their milk containers that their milk comes from cows that haven’t been given rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin).

It seems, Mr. Wolff feels he is a better judge of what the consumer or the Federal Trade Commission should know about the products we buy.

POST SCRIPT

If Mr. Wolff would like to improve the quality of plants, animals and humans in Pennsylvania he should start by reading “A Tale of Two Tomatoes”at Rotheraine.com and watch the animation and video at the top of the homepage.