I firmly support the right of retailers to be able to label their product rBGH-free if they want. That's how a free market works. The problem the FDA says it has is that there is no test currently in existence which distinguishes between a product containing "artificial" rBGH and the natural levels of "real" hormone normally found in organically-produced milk. This means that enforcement of label accuracy is difficult, requiring a chain of trust between producers and retailers. (It could also mean that there is no real difference in the milk, but I don't want to mess with the simple faith of those who believe in organic foods). I don't agree with the FDA that this is an insurmountable problem, and I believe the market will sort out reliable producers.

As for Ben and Jerry, this is what they say:

In a word, we believe it's a poorly conceived, risky solution to a problem that never existed. rBGH is unhealthy for cows. Read the label information on POSILAC. Even the manufacturer admits injections of the drug may cause a wide variety of serious health problems in cows. Some studies report a 79% increase in mastitis (infection of the udder) resulting in greater need for antibiotics, reduced pregnancy rates, cystic ovaries and uterine disorders, digestive disorders and lacerations, enlargements and calluses of the knee.



- rBGH affects the nutritional value of milk. Simple reason tells us that you can't treat a dairy cow with a drug whose effects are possibly wideranging and still expect the cow, or the milk it produces, to be healthy. Studies have actually shown that the use of rBGH increases the time during which cows give lower quality milk with decreased protein.

- rBGH causes milk to sour before its time. Increased bacteria in milk from rBGH-injected cows causes the milk to sour more quickly.

- rBGH just isn't necessary. U.S. dairy farmers already produce an abundance of milk - more, in fact, than the public consumes.

- rBGH threatens the survival of family farms. Small, decentralized farms are better for the land, the water, animals and communities than large factory farms who depend on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and land damaging farm techniques.

- As rBGH increases milk production, we're likely to see frequent surpluses, chronically low milk prices, and the acceleration of market trends, that have already put thousands of small dairy farms out of business.



It seems odd that farmers would treat their cows with something that hurts the cows and creates crappy milk, and for which there is apparently no economic reason, but what do I know about it. As for Ben and Jerry's reasons, most of them have nothing to do with health and a lot to do with politics.

Step one in the whole dairy business is to get the government out of the system. Ben and Jerry are right in that the current milk industry is severely distorted by government interference. It is more than likely that in a free market system, there would be a lot fewer dairy farmers and no milk surplus.