permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@intrex.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] Cows, farmers, consumers: Unite - oppose total rBGH label 
ban
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:22:58 -0500
From: Bowman, Greg <greg.bowman@RODALEINST.ORG>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

SANETeers,

Pennsylvania's sustainable/organic farming group leaders and its
indepenent milk processors are asking for support. We want to roll back
an order from the state's director of agriculture that would eliminate
any statement of the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone
(somatotropin)-- known as rbGH or rbST and marketed by Monsanto under
the brand name Posilac.

While the director claims he wants to reduce "consumer confusion" caused
by vague labeling claims of "no growth hormones," his order goes much
further, and actually excludes any mention of the non-use of rbGH, no
matter how truthfully worded in reference to what is not administered to
cattle producing the product.

As resistance to this order has started to come in, there's already been
a month's delay in the effective date, now moved to Feb. 1, 2008. The PA
Senate ag committee has scheduled a hearing on the order for Dec. 5, and
it promises to be exciting.

For background and action alert options....

http://www.newfarm.org/features/2007/1107/pamilk/rbgh.shtml

Greg

Greg Bowman
Managing editor, The Rodale Institute's www.newfarm.org