Just because you haven't heard much lately about the Monsanto campaign to take away our right to know how our milk is produced does not mean nothing is happening. In fact, in recent months, in state after state, Monsanto is continuing to push.
This time the state is New York. If you are in New York and want to know whether your milk comes from cows who are not given artificial hormones, then you need to get your comments in immediately. Details below.
The fact that the public's right to know is at stake is buried amidst a host of other dairy issues, one more way to keep us from being able to be heard.
People are concerned about the use of Monsanto's genetically engineered hormone - recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (r BGH) a/k/a recombinant Bovine Somatatrophin (rBST) a/k/a Posilac for many reasons. Some are concerned about its safety for humans, while others are concerned about the impact it has on the cows. There are concerns about the validity of the tests presented to the FDA to permit rBST to be used because of conflicts of interest between FDA decisionmakers and Monsanto employees (i.e. a revolving door between the two), the quality of the studies, the age of the studies (nearly 20 years old by now) in light of increasing sophistication of science, the higher rates of mastitis and need for antibiotics for cows who are injected with rBST, among other concerns.
If you want to participate in the hearing you must RSVP by 5:00 pm on Friday, June 20 to Mary Ann Stockman at 518-485-7728 or maryann.stockman@agmkt.state.ny.us The hearing is Monday, June 23.
Here is the notice:
CONTACT: FOR RELEASE:
Jessica Chittenden Immediately, Wednesday
518-457-3136 June 11, 2008
COMMISSIONER TO HOLD PUBLIC DAIRY FORUM IN SYRACUSE
June 23 Forum will Gather Perspective on Milk Marketing Issues
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker will host a public Dairy Forum to gain perspective from members of the dairy industry on milk marketing issues.
The Dairy Forum will be held Monday, June 23, 2008 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse at the Martha Eddy Room in the McNeil Art and Home Center.
The Forum is open to the public and will be an open microphone format. Anyone who wishes to participate will have five minutes to present their opinions and must also provide their comments in written form.
Comments should focus on the following key milk marketing issues: milk price volatility; changes to the federal milk marketing order; the New York State Rogers-Allen Act; milk hauling; member-controlled cooperatives; milk producer financial security; and milk labeling.
Prior to the public comment period Bob Gray, Executive Director of the Council of Northeast Farmer Cooperatives, will discuss provisions of the recently passed Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, commonly known as the Farm Bill.
The Farm Bill includes many provisions that will benefit dairy producers in New York State. The Farm Bill strengthens the existing safety net for dairy farmers by increasing the differential for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) trigger price to 45 percent, increases the eligible pounds of milk to nearly three million, and ties the price of feed to the MILC’s trigger price in difficult financial times.
Those wishing to participate in the Dairy Forum must RSVP by 5:00 pm on Friday, June 20 to Mary Ann Stockman at 518-485-7728 or maryann.stockman@agmkt.state.ny.us.
New York State has 6,200 dairy farms that produce over 12 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation’s third largest dairy state. The dairy industry is the State’s largest agricultural sector, contributing significantly to the State’s economy by generating $2.4 billion at the farmgate, over half of the State’s total agricultural receipts, and providing some of the highest economic multipliers in the State.
And for those who are late to this issue
You can find posts on either Daily Kos or unbossed via the search box. Just plug in "rBST". All my posts use that word in the title to make it easier to find them.
And here is a short summary of what happened in PA where the labeling issue first became public.
1. For years, Wolff - PA's Secretary of Agriculture - raged against people who opposed rBST use. One of the posts includes a video of him actually ranting and practically foaming at the mouth.
2. Wolff created a fake advisory committee staffed with lobbyists, Ag employees, and fake consumer advocates to investigate the labeling issue and whether the public was confused by the labels. Only one person on the committee was a real consumer advocate. The committee, Wolff claimed, concluded that there was confusion and that the state should ban any labels mentioning rBST. Word is that no such finding was made. Wolff refused to answer FOIA and reporter requests for the names of the committee members. Finally, finally, they were released, and when the public saw the composition, well . . .
2. Wolff announced a ban on labels mentioning rBST.
3. There was a huge public uproar as word of this got out via stories in the Philadelphia Inquirer and NY Times. And including lots of the diaries here and at other blogs - including mine crossposted here from unbossed - and by orangeclouds and others. And in the alternate PA media, including the Williamsport Guardian and Voices of Central Pennsylvania.
There was LOTS of public pressure on the governor.
4. Eventually PA Governor Rendell said he would look into the matter. Eventually, he issued a proclamation that gives Monsanto a lot of what it wanted but still allows labels to mention the use of rBST.
5. Amidst this uproar, it became clear that Pennsylvania's Ag industry, the Penn State Ag Dairy Department, and the Ag Department are essentially wholly owned subsidiaries of Monsanto. Money sure does talk.
And not only PA - check out your own state's Ag schools and you'll see what I mean.
And so here we are - wash rinse and repeat. and repeat and repeat.