If you feel you have the right to know what is in your milk take a few minutes to call Governor Rendell’s Erie office at 878 5719 or the Harrisburg information line, 1 800 932 0784. Ask him to support your right to make a choice in what you consume by demanding milk labeling.

Many dairy farmers inject their cows with bovine growth hormone to boost milk production.

Studies indicate that hormone treated cows suffer from enlarged adrenal glands, hearts, livers, and ovaries. They have more udder infections requiring more antibiotics. In addition hormone treated cows have high levels of insulin growth factor. Insulin growth factor is believed to increase cell division in the human breast and encourage malignancies and colon cancer.

The FDA has ruled milk from cows treated with the hormone as safe despite the fact that Canada, Japan, Australia, and many European countries ban the use of it. Again the FDA has placed economic interests above health concerns.

In October Dennis Wolff, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, banned labeling milk to indicate that it is free of artificial growth hormone, pesticides, and antibiotics. The ban on labeling begins in January 2008.

Wolff’s ban is supported by Monsanto, the multinational company that makes the growth hormone and the National Milk Producers Federation.

They contend that this type of labeling creates consumer confusion and farmers who inject growth hormone into their cows to generate more milk will lose money to farmers whose milk is labeled hormone free. These special interest groups are the ones insisting the hormone is safe.

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture feels that farmers need to use labeling to allow their customers to make a choice.

Governor Rendell has been studying the issue over the last two to three months. He should be making a decision soon. We have a right, as consumers to know what is in our food. Our children deserve a safe milk supply. Make your voice heard. Call now.