Organic and raw milk products are missing something – something you don’t want
Down on the Farm
Pondering whether or not to pay a little extra for organic milk, organic yogurt, and other organic milk products?
Here’s something that might sway your decision: rBST.
What’s that stuff in your milk?
RBST is a genetically engineered growth hormone given to cows to increase milk production. It was originally made by Monsanto, but rights to produce the synthetic hormone were purchased last year by Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly.
Recently, an “independent” panel (sponsored by Elanco) made some news with a report that didn’t really surprise anyone. The panel’s review of rBST research found that milk from cows treated with rBST is safe for human consumption and no different from milk taken from untreated cows.
So what’s the big deal? After all, the FDA approved the use of rBST more than 15 years ago.
Well…THIS is sort of a big deal: When the agency approved rBST, the man in charge of FDA policy was Michael Taylor, who was formerly the attorney for Monsanto. He later became a vice president and lobbyist for Monsanto.
Meanwhile, the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan all banned the use of rBST. Their fear: rBST prompts a sharp increase of another hormone. And when that hormone is present in excessive amounts, research says that several types of cancers may occur.
That hasn’t been conclusively proven yet, but it begs the question: Is the milk potentially dangerous?
Obviously, the Elanco panel says no. But a very large chorus of critics says yes, because even if you ignore the threat of cancer, this hormone is bad news.
Care for cows
You can’t really warm up to rBST unless you’re indifferent to animal suffering.
RBST has been shown to raise the risk of hoof problems, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems, heat stress, birth disorders, and a painful udder infection.
But even if you never give a thought about animal welfare, that last item is key because the infection is treated with antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin. Bacteria that become resistant to these drugs turn up in the milk, promoting antibiotic resistance in humans.
RBST also creates problems for family farmers.
When milk supply increases (and that’s all that rBST accomplishes), prices paid to farmers drops. And when that drop is significant or prolonged, small farms are driven out of business. Of course, that’s a plus for the giant corporate farms that tend to be the users of rBST. But it’s a huge minus for consumers who depend on the smaller farms to supply organic and raw milk.
In 2007, Monsanto actually asked the FTC to ban product labels that claim no use of growth hormones. Fortunately, the commission turned them down, so you can avoid rBST exposure by looking for milk products that are labeled “rBST-free,” or “growth hormone-free.”
Sources:
“Growth Hormone rbST Safe and Green, Claims Study” Rory Harrington, NutraIngredients-USA, 9/30/09, nutraingredients-usa.com
“What is rBST?” Organic Milk Corp., organicmilkcorp.com “Obama-Monsanto Alliance Too Close for Comfort?” Dr. Joseph Mercola, 9/22/09, blogs.mercola.com
“Got (Artificial-Hormoned) Milk?” Aina Hunter, Cleveland Scene, 9/16/09, clevescene.com
