Three Milk Brands Going rBGH-Free
Publix Super Markets, based in Lakeland, FL, announced it is going rBGH-free for all its private label milk brands. Publix is big - it has 901 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee and had $21.7 billion in sales last year. It is the 30th largest dairy processor in the country. It was named as one of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For in America" for 10 consecutive years.
Their spokesperson said "As a retailer devoted to customer satisfaction and highest quality of products, we wanted our customers to enjoy the wholesome goodness of milk, without added hormones."
Although this doesn't yet apply to their non-fluid milk products, this is an excellent start, especially in the southeast, which has been slower to participate in the rBGH-free trend sweeping the country.
In Salt Lake City, Associated Food Stores (Western Family Milk) announced they were also going rBGH-free for their milk. Associated has more than 400 stores. Western Family milk will have the label "All natural from cows not treated with the growth hormone rbST." Unlike most other stores, Associated doesn't plan to affix a higher price to its milk.
Also in Utah, Smith's Food & Drug will offer all rBGH-free milk. This is important in two ways. First, it continues progress in the Rocky Mountain states, following Sinton brand (Colorado Springs) going rBGH-free last year. Second, Smith's is owned by Kroger, the fifth largest dairy processor in the country. We know Kroger has had discussions going on and we're hopeful that all of Kroger's milk, under a variety of names, will go rBGH-free in the near future. Fred Meyer, a division of Kroger, is the only fluid milk processor left in Oregon that still allows rBGH.
Monsanto Continues Its Campaign to Ban Labeling
Both directly and through its surrogates, Monsanto continues to apply pressure to the FDA and FTC to ban rBGH-free labeling, which would wipe out the ability of consumers to distinguish between rBGH and rBGH-free dairy products.
In its latest salvo, the Northeast Dairy Producers Association and Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania sent a letter to the FDA stating they were "dismayed at the misleading advertising of dairy products," going on to say that it is "alarming and unacceptable."
I ask any of you to think what is misleading about the labels "rBGH-free," "rBST-free," or "Our farmers pledge not to use artificial growth hormones." Of course, there isn't anything misleading about them - it's perfectly clear to consumers, just like labels such as "No preservatives," "No artificial flavorings," or "No trans-fats."
This has nothing to do with misleading consumers. It has everything to do with Monsanto's attempt to stop further erosion of its profits.
Oregon Biopharm Bill Update
The biopharm bill, SB 234, is currently in the House Agriculture Committee. The Oregon legislature is coming up on its expected adjournment date, June 30, quickly. We expect the bill will be brought up in the committee in the next few weeks, almost surely before the end of the month.
There has been a lot of activity going on, but since this isn't a secure list, I'm not able to elaborate too much. I'll keep you posted as more information becomes available. If any of you have specific questions, please feel free to e-mail or call me at 503-968-1520.
News From All Over
* A Federal judge made a final ruling that the USDA's 2005 approval of Monsanto's GE Roundup Ready alfalfa was illegal. The judge called on the USDA to ban any further planting of the GE seed until it conducts a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the GE crop. This was the first ruling I had seen where the judge took into account the plight of farmers not wanting GE crops who faced economic hardship from a contamination incident, not to mention consumers who don't want to the eat it.
* Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today encouraged Iowa farmers planting a new GE corn from Syngenta to investigate marketing restrictions first. The new corn has been approved by the USDA (of course!) but has not been approved by many other countries around the world.
* To give you an idea of just how seriously Europeans take genetically engineered food, Greenpeace delivered a petition containing 1,000,000 signatures to the European Commissioner for Health calling for the labeling of milk, meat and eggs where the animals have been fed with GE food. Upcoming Events
* VegFest just keeps getting bigger and better. As of a few weeks ago, four restaurants, 16 non-profit groups (including Oregon PSR) and 52 other exhibitors will be on hand. It's scheduled for 10-6 this Saturday, May 12 at Benson High School, 546 NE 12th Avenue in Portland, very close to the Lloyd Center MAX stop. John Robbins, author of Diet For a New America and The Food Revolution and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, will headline a number of great speakers and chefs. For more information, see portlandvegfest.org.
* The Future of Food will play at 6:30 p.m. at Northern Lights in Salem Tuesday, May 15. Admission is $3. If you haven't seen this movie yet, I highly encourage it. It's one of the best documentaries ever on GE crops and will open your eyes considerably as to what's been going on.
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Dairies Continue to Ban Monsanto's Bovine Growth Hormone
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Oregon PSR Campaign For Safe Food Update
Three Milk Brands Going rBGH-Free
May 7, 2007
