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rbst state labeling laws






Current Bills introduced for 1997

MA "This milk was produced by cows injected with synthetic BGH."

VT  Authorize Voluntary Labeling of rBGH products
producer affidavit "every milk producer doing business in vermont who
desires to sell milk
to a handler doing business in vermont shall, by affidavit, notify such
handler that such
milk is 
	1) is from cows treated with rBST or
	2) is from cows which are no, and have not been with 90 days prior
	to the 	
	notification, treated with rBST, and swears he or she will notify
	his or her 	
	handler at least 90 days befor using rBST in the production of
	milk by such
	cows.

NJ require distributors to label  and keep affidavit and requires labeling
	of consumer
	products if it contains rBST 
	(from lexus/nexus)

NY also has a bill pending (does anyone know for sure)

In addition four states passed laws in 1994.

ME (enacted april 12) directs farmer who ue rbst to register that
information with the dairies they supply. The state also established a
"maine quality seal" label from dairy products produced from cows not
treated with rBST.

MN (may 11, 1994) authorized a voluntary labeling that state, "milk in
this product is from cows not treated with rBGH" and may include the
statement "Farmer Certified rBGH-free"

VT (april 13, 1994) requires that all dairy products derived from cows
treated with rBST be labeled as such.

(This one Monsanto knocked down, did they do the same to any other state
bills?)

WI(april 28, 1994) authorized voluntary labeling claims "Farmer Certified
rBGH free"

Has any other states tried to have mandatory rBGH labeling?

How many states has Monsanto sued other than Veromnt? (would anyone care
to elaborate on the Vermont happenings?)

If a state doesn't have a voluntary labelling law, are companies free to
label their products? Didn't monsanto sue 2 dairies on this in 1994?

A question about the mastitis issue. According to an office of technology
assessent biotech in 1992, it showed that dairy cow production has
increased by 100% since 1950 (per cow from 8000 to 15000 lbs/yr). If that
is so (a result of artificial insemination, better feeding and more
precise milking times) how did this impact the incidence of mastitis since
1950?

I have heard that the national organics standards that is pending is up in
the air on whether gmo's can be organic . . . Since rBGH is cleary a
hormone, I assume that it is not an issue or is it? 


Teige Davidson
Graduate Student
Tufts University
School of Nutrition Science & Policy
Agriculture, Food & Environment Program
Medford, Massachusetts


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