“With the marketplace out there we are seeing increased consumer concern about the safety of their food supply. More and more of the processors are marketing to those concerns,” said Gary Heckman of the Center of Dairy Excellence. “As a result, producers are being asked to produce organic milk or discontinuing the use of synthetic hormones.”

Heckman said these issues can produce challenges and opportunities for the dairy producer. Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) is a synthetic hormone that can increase milk production in dairy cattle.

Heckman addressed the audience before a panel representing three key parts of the supply chain tackled the challenges of the issue at the 2007 Dairy Summit on Feb. 7.

While Heckman is a strong believer in the right of choice for consumers and producers, Dr. Terry Etherton of Penn State said he has concerns about the potential this issue could have on biotechnology research. “To differentiate food based on technologies and management practices used in production when no differences exist is misleading and creates confusion for consumers,” he said. “There is no compositional or nutritional difference between conventional, rbST-free and organic milk.”

Consumers, he believes, have been misled by marketing plans to scare them. “Consumers are responsive to the word hormone,” he said referring to labeling tactics used for organic and as he calls it, “organic-light” milk. He said the labels are intended to cause concern and called the strategy “the marketing of fear.”

Noting that dairy farmers have spent $5 million in dairy check off dollars to promote milk, Etherton said a campaign of “good milk versus bad milk” can undo the gains in market share made by the program.

Source: Lancaster Farming