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Buy hormone-free milk and other dairy regularly

Why This is Green

Hormones—specifically rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone, also known as rBST—recombinant bovine somatotropin)—are given to most U.S. dairy cows to speed up production. rBGH is banned due to concerns about human and animal health all over the world—the European Union, Japan, Canada, Australia--but not stateside. The Cancer Prevention Coalition, the American Public Health Association, and others have asked our government to ban these hormones over links to cancer.

Meanwhile, U.S. consumers can choose to purchase milk from cows that haven’t been administered hormones. The easiest way to do this is to buy USDA certified organic milk; the standards do not allow rGBH. A less expensive way is to seek out conventional milk that claims to be rBGH-free or is stamped “no hormones administered.”

USDA organic is a surer bet; there is no third party certification required to use the claim rBGH-free. Keep in mind that rBGH-free is hormone specific; it has nothing to do with what the cows are eating, or how they’re living, or if they’re free to roam on pasture. A hormone-free cheese won’t necessarily have the same nutritional or environmental benefits—or flavor—as an organic or pastured one.

Learn More

How To

All certified organic dairy is rGBH and rBST free.

Several major milk producers are now requiring their suppliers to pledge not to use rGBH. Click for state-by-state information on dairy producers claiming to offer hormone free products: www.sustainabletable.org/shop/dairymap.

Don’t forget to think beyond milk when shopping; cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are all dairy, too.