Milk..... or whatever its called...

 Are you buying rBST free Milk?

You might ask, "Andrew, What is RBST?"

Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), also known as Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (rBST) is a Genetically Engineered copy of a naturally occurring hormone produced by cows. It is injected into a cow to artificially maintain her milk production. Basically once a cow has baby cows her milk production is much higher - in order to feed her calf. So, what Monsanto have done is develop an artificial hormone if injected into the new cow mom, keeps her milk production high for an extended period of time. 

The thing is:

There have been no long term studies of rBGH's effects on humans. (Instead of officially publishing the many year study of this synthetic hormone in cows - because of the plain, devastating results - the FDA published a 28 day study of the effects of it on Rats.... LOL!!!) 

Interestingly, based on what IS known about this Artificial Hormone, it has been banned in Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union. 

Now, because of over milking, it has been categorically recorded that cysts develop inside and outside of the cow’s udder. These infections then get treated by pumping the cow with antibiotics all of which - infection, false hormone and antibiotics - have been found in varying amounts in the Cows Milk.

High levels of White Blood cells can be found in the milk of rBST treated cows - and FYI, that's PUS from the cysts or broken flesh from extensive milking.

(Another concern is that injecting cows with bovine growth hormone may cause them to produce more of another hormone called Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Animal studies suggest that elevated levels of IGF-1 in the bloodstream could increase the risk for some cancers, particularly colon and breast cancers.)   

There is some alarming research about the impact of these antibiotics and synthetic Growth Hormones in small Kids. We have officially been using Monsanto's Synthetic Growth Hormone in our Dairy industry in South Africa since 1994. 

An anonymous interviewee from one of the suppliers of rBGH in South Africa said off the record, of the opposition product, that “You can milk them till they drop dead. You use that stuff if you don’t care too much about your cows.”

The UN international food safety body, ‘Codex Alimentarius’ has supported the right of nations to forbid the use of this hormone, due to the clearly enumerated potential human health effects, by failing to include it in the Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) categorisation. 

Canadian legislators and scientists closely interrogated US data and found it seriously lacking and banned the use of rBST.  

But it has somehow been permitted here in South Africa. 

About a year ago I noticed that the "RBST-Free" logo was no longer on our preferred brand of milk - "Clover"- So, i emailed Clover to ask what the story was?

They replied and said that they cant grantee that their suppliers aren't treating their cows so they had taken the "rBST Free" logo off their milk...... so no more Clover Milk for my family. (and just by-the-by, Im pretty sure that normal milk is not supposed to last as drinkable for 18days!! Crickey! what are they feeding us??)

  

So who produces milk that is free from rBST in South Africa? 

Woolworths carry a range of Ayrshire  Milk that is also marked as rBST-free. 

I recently saw that Parmalot also carries the logo.

Other than these two, I have heard that PnP brand is rBST free.

Look out for the rBST Free logo!

Let us know if you come across any others!

To end with, Check out the youtube-clip on this issue and the cover-up that ensued! - Crazy I tell you!

At the end of the day us as consumers can dictate what the market sells us, and if enough people are properly informed they will vote with their cash and force the change - as proven by big companies like Walmart, Starbucks and a whole list of others - who now only buy milk from suppliers that are rBST free.
Here is a list of others that have "seen the light" and made the change:
rBST Free companies


Cheers!