Got hormones? Dairy group says milk should be free of RBST

Consumers have spoken and the dairy industry is responding - California's cows are going drug free.In a recent move by the largest dairy cooperative in California, California Dairies Inc., which ships over 14 billion pounds of milk annually, Golden State cows are going to be drug free as of August 2007.Some California farmers have been injecting their cows with the hormone known as RBST - recombinant bovine somatotropin - for more than a decade with no fuss. But now, farmers have been told to stop this practice if they want to be able to mass market their milk in California.The milk-boosting drug was approved for use on cows by the FDA in 1993 and is still considered safe by the regulatory agency.However, in the past year, use of the drug has come into the limelight for a possible link to cancer by consumer groups.On that speculation alone, a significant percentage of the public has chosen to switch to organically grown milk or milk that is marketed as "free" from the hormone and the California-based dairy co-op realized that they are missing a market and loosing money.Kim Bradley, manager at Sunrise Natural Foods in Auburn, said a large percentage of the health food store's customers are searching for organic milk that is free of added hormones."I can't say exactly, but I know that milk sales are a big part of the business," she said.Bradley explained that her customers have expressed that they are concerned about the milk and what hormone-laden products can do to growing children."Consumers are worried that the use of drugs is harmful to infants and young children who are still developing," she said. "Consumers don't want to introduce steroids into young bodies."Bradley explained that another concern is that the hormone RBST reduces body fat and that body fat holds toxins. She is concerned that toxins could be present in the milk supplied by the injected cows."The cows that are on these hormones are known to be more prone to illness and common sense tells us that we don't want the milk from sick cows," she said.According to the Associated Press, the growth hormone RBST is already banned in Canada and Europe, because of the concern that it makes cows more prone to illness.Regardless of the hormones in milk, Bradley said that there a many milk alternative brands on the market as consumers have voiced their needs and manufacturers have responded.It is simple supply and demand."With more people lactose intolerant and impacted by allergies the industry has created options," Bradley said.However, she wanted to note that no milk, regardless of its marketing, is ever produced completely hormone free.Milk cannot be produced free of hormones. Even a mother's milk has natural hormones, Bradley said.Randell Schummers with the Gold Country Preschool in Auburn said that navigating the do's and don'ts of milk and its alternatives is so tricky, that his school doesn't even serve it to young children."With all of the milk allergies out there it is too hard, so we don't offer it," he said. "I would say though, that 50 percent of our parents buy the milk without hormones. They may not know the name of the hormone but they are aware of the issue."That statistic is exactly why the dairy industry is making the move regardless of no significant evidence the hormone is harmful.One thing buyers should note is that the price of milk is likely to rise. This move to hormone-less milk will certainly increase the cost of doing business for farmers, thus, that cost will be passed on to consumers.The Associated Press Contributed to this report.Natalie Otis is a freelance writer and gymnastics coach at Miyagi's Gymnastics in Auburn. Contact her at natalieotis@gmail.com.