Proposed Hormone Growth-Milk Law Slammed

A new bill on milk labeling standards up for consideration in the Indiana House of Representatives has come under criticism this week by some organizations and producers, which claim it would prevent informed consumer choice if passed.

House Bill 1300, authored by Representative Bill Friend, could prevent some labels on milk sold in the state from using claims that a product is free from growth hormones like Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH).

The bill has been put forward in a bid to prevent mislabeling on milk products, and proposes outlawing any claims that are not supported by laboratory analysis.  This would amend the current rules, which allow the use of sworn statements, affidavits or testimonials.

However, a number of organizations have expressed concern over the proposals, expected to come into place on July 1, which they say if passed, would make it the only US state to not allow the voluntary labeling on their packaging.

RBGH, also referred to as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), is a synthetic variant of the naturally occurring hormone in the pituitary gland of cattle, which can be injected into a cow to increase milk production.

Use of the hormone has become an increasingly hot topic for the dairy industry in recent years.

Read more at FoodNavigator-USA.com.