Posted: October 22nd, 2007 - 2:16pm by Doug Powell

Terrence Philibeck, Director, Dairy Inspection Division Indiana State Board of Animal Health Indianapolis, writes to the Indianapolis Star in reference to Shari Rudasky's article ("Four ways to shop smart," Oct. 16)

Philibeck says that to tell consumers to check their dairy products for hormones is misleading. All milk contains naturally occurring hormones produced by lactating animals. Labeling as "hormone-free" reflects only the absence of synthetic hormones given to the cows, a practice that will be virtually eliminated by year-end as a result of new industry-imposed policies.

Second, to recommend consumers seek out antibiotic-free products is simply a marketing gimmick. All fluid milk is tested for the presence of antibiotics before it is processed. Milk that tests positive for antibiotic residues is discarded as unfit for human consumption. To recommend consumers seek out antibiotic-free-labeled milk is to imply that other products are somehow contaminated or unsafe, when in fact all dairy products must abide by this industry standard for safety.

As the state's regulatory agency for dairy products, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health has a compliance and education program to help producers avoid contamination of milk through the use of antibiotics in their herd. Producers who violate the antibiotic-negative requirement must complete a 10-point action plan with their herd veterinarian and are subject to fines for repeated occurrences. Our staff also works with dairy processors and cooperatives (the wholesalers) to verify that regular testing is done routinely and correctly to ensure the wholesomeness of our dairy supply.

How hard was that? It's rarely done. Instead, government and industry folks are usually content to make pronouncements about the ignorant masses, in meetings or sometimes in public. American culture is awash in food porn and hucksterism. It's up to those who manage risks to communicate with the public they serve. I wrote a book about it, Mad Cows and Mother's Milk. Kudos to Terrence Philibeck.

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