Ignorant or Informed? rbST in Your Milk

Last week, I read a blog that made me wonder what rbST-free milk is all about and whether it’s better than organic milk. Well, I started researching rbST and have learned so much that I haven’t even embarked on the organic portion of my question. They are related questions and I think you need to know one in order to know the other, so this week, let’s talk rbST.

WHAT rBst IS
rbST is a synthetic hormone used by dairy farmers to increase milk production in their cows. All cows have a naturally occurring bovine growth hormone, or BGH. At some point, science figured out how make a synthetic version of this hormone, rbST, or recombinant bovine somatotropin, and farmers began using it to increase milk production. The EPA and National Institute of Health say rbST is safe for you to drink; however, Canada, Japan and most Europe, disagree and banned it.

I want to clarify before I go on, rbST-free means that the synthetic hormone is no longer being used. The milk does still have BGH, or bovine growth hormone, because, remember, it is naturally occurring. So you’re going to have BGH in conventional or organic milk.

And one more point to clarify, apparently you can use rbST and rBGH interchangeably. Makes it kinda confusing!

rBST in COWS
To put this at a level I can understand, I thought about my own hormones. I have naturally occurring thyroid hormone, but not enough of it. So, I take a synthetic thyroid hormone in order to keep my thyroid functioning properly. A cow has BGH and some farmers are using rBST to increase their milk production. Now, if my thyroid was working properly and I took a synthetic thyroid hormone, my thyroid would be thrown into chaos and I would develop a thyroid problem. Can this analogy be applied to cows?

From all that I’ve read, there is no conclusive scientific evidence rBST causes medical problems for humans.   On the other hand, it’s actually undisputed that rBST causes medical problems for cows. rBST is directly related to the increased rates of mastitis, lameness and infertility. Some say it decreases their life span. So, back to my analogy: if I get too much thyroid hormone - chaos. If a cow gets too much BGH - chaos.

The reason farmers use rBST is to increase milk production. Well, is America short on milk? Nope, according to the New York Times we have too much,“But now, demand for dairy products is stalling amid a global economic slowdown and credit crisis, even as supplies have increased. The result is a glut of milk — and its assorted byproducts, like milk powder, butter and whey proteins — that has led to a precipitous drop in prices.”

Here in the Northwest, Fred Meyer and Safeway carry organic and rBGH-free milk only. There are still farmers who do use rBGH and so you will find it in other stores, but not very many. “A U.S. Department of Agriculture survey in 2007 determined that about 15% of dairy farms use rBST… As part of its Campaign for Safe Food, the Oregon chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility has compiled a growing list of companies that have gone partially or completely rBGH-free.” (reference link)

IGNORANT OR INFORMED?
Last week, my blog “Ignorant or Informed Consumer: your milk may not need to be rbST free,” highlighted Dr. Terry Etherton a Penn State professor who says that rbST is safe to consume. He says that we are ignorant consumers if we think that the rbST-free milk is better for us and that it's all a marketing ploy to get us to pay more money for milk.  I think he goes so far as to imply that we consumers are hurting the farmers by demanding no rbST in our milk.

Well, based on my research, I disagree. I am now an informed consumer who is in favor of rBST-free milk and milk products. We don’t need more milk in production, so we don’t need our cows to produce more. While it’s debatable if rBST is dangerous for your health, it’s not good for the cow's health. I don't think we're hurting farmers by demanding rbST-free milk. It's called supply and demand, Dr. Etherton...get over it. 

Since I live here in the Northwest, I won’t find it at my favorite grocery store. That leaves me with the next question: should I choose rBGH-free or should I choose organic milk?  Stay tuned...I'll share that in my next post.

Please, share your reaction to my research in the comments below.  Do you have different information to share with my readers about rbST? What books or articles have you read on this subject?  If you share it here, we can converse so, let's talk!

Ignorant or Informed Consumer: your milk may not need to be organic or rbST free

I try to buy organic milk. The reasons for buying organic milk have as much to do with my family's health as with how the farm land and animals are managed. I have the impression that cows that produce "organic" milk are healthier and so is the land around them.  There are no pesticides being used in their environment. There are no hormones being given to the cows.  As I write this, however, I have to admit that I haven't researched one bit of information regarding organic milk, rbST or "regular" milk.  My conclusions are based on hear-say and impressions that I have of the industry. 

I found this article today when I was reviewing my Twitter feeds over tea.  The blog entry is "The Smoke and Mirrors of Milk Marketing."  Now I'm both a consumer and a marketer, so this has my attention.  The author, Terry Etherton, says that farmers of rbST are being cheated.  "In a nutshell, some dairy processors and retailers have been willing to use deceptive labeling campaigns to exploit consumer ignorance, and raise the suspicion that some milk (i.e., organic or rbST-free) might be safer or healthier than other milk (i.e, conventional), and charge a whole lot more!


Uh. Am I an ignorant consumer or an informed one? Are advertisers and marketers exploiting me?  Etherton blogs that rbST is safe. He also blogs that we organic purchasers are not buying the milk we think we are, being fleeced I guess. 

It so happens that on Tuesday of this week, I researched the price of organic milk at Safeway and Fred Meyer.  At Safeway, 1/2 gallon is $3.29.  One gallon is $5.99.  At Fred Meyer 1/2 gallon is $2.99 and one gallon is $5.48.  I didn't even look at non-organic milk, but I think it's about $2.49 for one gallon.

Terry Etherton's blog entries around this subject is a good example of why I am blogging about groceries and food.  I want to be an informed consumer; not a victim of advertising.  As consumers, it's challenging to take the time to research this stuff and so that's what I'm here for - to research it, learn from it and share it with you. 

Here's a link to Terry Etherton's blog: http://blogs.das.psu.edu/tetherton/2008/04/01/food-costs-increase-and-the-smoke-and-mirrors-of-rbst-free-milk-marketing-rolls-onand-onand-on/  (Dr. Etherton is a Distinguished Professor of Animal Nutrition and Head of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science at Penn State University).

Ignorant or Informed Consumer: your milk may not need to be organic or rbST free -- I'll find out and let you know...


So, I don't have time today to look into this any further. The kids are out of school today and tomorrow and I'm lucky I got this much written.  They've been in here just about every ten minutes asking for empty boxes, then tape, then scissors...you know.  Here's the deal. I am going to make this rbST my next research project. If you, my dear reader, have any information to share with me, please comment below or send me an email. Thanks.
~ Katrina 

It's in the Freezer: Beans

I read with great interest the article “Building Block Dinners” in the Family Fun, September 2010 issue. I had tried a make-ahead meal program several years ago, but it used so many canned soups, I couldn’t follow through with it. Between the BPA and the sodium, well, I didn’t care if cooking all day and freezing meals would save me time; it wouldn’t be healthy for my family. This article, however, gives three foods you can cook ahead and then recipe ideas on what to do with them when you are ready to use them. I put one of them together and then decided this would be a fun subject to blog about.

So last week, I decided to try the “Start with Beautifully Basic White Beans” idea.

I bought one pound of organic white navy beans from the bulk food section. I paid $1. 99 per pound. At home, I froze* about four quarts of beans. I controlled all aspects of the process, assuring my family healthy beans in our future meals. A can of beans, such as S&W, contains salt (440 mg sodium), sugar, dehydrated onion and calcium chloride and calcium disodium EDTA. My beans are organic, contain none of those ingredients and no BPA.

A few days later, I decided to make a White Bean and Sausage Saute, one of the recipes in the September 2010 Family Fun magazine. I had to substitute Italian sausages with pork andouille sausages and chicken broth with beef broth; otherwise I followed the recipe. Wow! Spicey! (A little too spicey for my seven year old, so I reserved a few navy beans and rinsed a sausage for her. I then added in some different things for her to eat). It took me no more than 30 minutes to put the whole thing together and I fed four of us dinner on a chilly, rainy night. Perfect, except there were no leftovers!

My overall experience is positive. Here's a summary:

• I have three bags of beans (about 8 cups) in the freezer to add to soup, salad or chili anytime.


• Raw beans are less expensive than canned beans and really don’t take long to cook. (The only thing I will do differently is cook them less time. I left them on low in my Crockpot for five hours and they are a bit too soft).


• I control all aspects of what goes into the cooked beans.

A couple of days ago, I made meatballs per the article’s instructions and they came out tasty. Now I have six cups of frozen meatballs in the freezer. Next, I plan to freeze black beans and kidney beans. I might even haul out the pressure cooker! Look out!

* How to Freeze Beans

1. Rinse and drain the beans, pick out all of the rocks and damaged beans.


2. Soak the beans in a large bowl: Just cover them with three inches of water and soak for 8 hours.


3. Drain and rinse the beans well with fresh, cold water.


4. Transfer the beans to your slow cooker. Add 7 cups of water and a bay leaf.


5. Cook the beans in your slow cooker on high between three and four hours, just until tender.


6. Save the liquid, but strain the beans.


7. After the beans have cooled, measure out two cups at a time and freeze them in freezer bags. Cover them with the reserved cooking liquid, push all the extra air out of the bag, seal, and label; lie them flat in your freezer. Store them for up to three months (so be sure to date them when you label them).

To defrost: throw them in the fridge in the morning or in a cool bath of water for about thirty minutes before you need them.