Milk

Milk proteins which are the cause of severe allergic reactions are now being considered for biodegradeable packaging options.

Dairy Proteins Could Have Packaging Potential

Conventional dairy farms in VT are actually doing worse.

This article posits two possible reasons--price on conventional milk has gone down and the number of organic farmers in the region over the past couple of years has gone way up.

There's also the fact for both conventional and organic farms in VT that they're competing with Midwest conglomerates.

Prices sour demand for organic milk

I copied most of the article below.  The link the original is in blue.

I think that it's great this stuff is getting investigated!

USDA looks to organic supply welfare in new dairy study

By Neil Merrett, 15-May-2009

Related topics: Safety & Hygiene

A study is underway is in the US to offer what researchers claim will be the most comprehensive insight yet into the impacts of organic farming on the health of livestock in attempts to ensure better practices for suppliers.

Professor Pamela Ruegg of the University of Wisconsin will head the research, which forms part of a US department of Agriculture (USDA) focus on wider organic production, to identify key areas related to cattle management and livestock health.

Ruegg says that the entire organic dairy industry is cooperating with the research, which is currently focused solely on farm level factors and not on the process side of the industry.

“The most important focus is to identify practices that help farmers optimise animal health and well being,” she states. “Control of mastitis, production of high quality milk and management practices that contribute to enhanced animal well being are all of interest to us.”

As part of its research remit, the USDA funded study reflects growing interest into how not using antibiotics and hormones may impact on the welfare of livestock.
Research targets

Ruegg said that over the next 18 months, the research team is expected to perform 300 visits to farms to study current production techniques. The researchers say they have already completed three farm visits in Wisconsin, with similar testing beginning across New York and Oregon in the coming weeks.

“We don't expect to influence legislation but do hope to be able to help address issues that many farmers care about,” states Ruegg.

Researchers on the report suggest that little previous study has been undertaken on cattle management and animal welfare currently.

Ruegg says that with US Organic standards related to production already in place, her team will look to determine general farmer practice in ensuring dairy animal health.

She adds that the USDA remained the sole backer for the study currently, but suggests other backers may possibly contribute in the future.

Ron Paul Introduces Bill to End Interstate Raw Milk Ban

Whether or not you drink milk or raw milk is not really the issue behind supporting this bill. 
By jurisdiction the court decision that influenced the initial federal legislation did and does not apply to state laws.
And yet the resulting regulation was applied to interstate commerce:
Regulation 21 CFR 1240.61 provides, in part, that “no person shall cause to be delivered into interstate commerce or shall sell, otherwise distribute, or hold for sale or other distribution after shipment in interstate commerce any milk or milk product in final package form for direct human consumption unless the product has been pasteurized….” 

(Source: The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund)
The consumption of raw milk is legal in every state, yet its sale is currently illegal in about half the states. HR 778 would enable those living in states where the sale of raw milk is illegal—and those living in states where the sale is legal but sources are not present—to be able to exercise their legal right to consume raw milk.

In other words the bill would enable consumers to enter into transactions to obtain raw milk and raw milk products from other states without the transactions being in violation of federal law.

Beyond that, do we really want the government to be passing laws about what specific foods we can eat?

As Congressman Paul stated in introducing the bill, “Americans have the right to consume these products without having the Federal Government second-guess their judgment about what products best promote health. If there are legitimate concerns about the safety of unpasteurized milk, those concerns should be addressed at the state and local level.”
The bill would not force a state to legalize the sale of raw milk by producers within its boundaries nor would it force a state to allow the sale of raw milk from out-of-state producers in its retail stores. The bill would enable consumers to enter into transactions to obtain raw milk and raw milk products from other states without the transactions being in violation of federal law.

The right to choose the food we eat is basic to life, liberty and  the pursuit of happiness

Small farmers are commercially and financially the ones that are affected negatively by the interstate commerce legislation.
Example of the effects on small farmers

It's been claimed that the FDA shows bias to the commercial dairy industry and that their claims about the safety of raw milk have been affected by this liasion.
Remarks to the FDA

Here is a document which lists some of legal rulings behind the regulation of raw milk.

Here is some information on Ron Paul's bill H.R. 778

Title: To authorize the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products that are packaged for direct human consumption.
Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/28/2009)      Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 1/28/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
SPEECH OF
HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2009
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation that allows the shipment and distribution of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption across state lines. This legislation removes an unconstitutional restraint on farmers who wish to sell or otherwise distribute, and people who wish to consume, unpasteurized milk and milk products.
My office has heard from numerous people who would like to obtain unpasteurized milk. Many of these people have done their own research and come to the conclusion that unpasteurized milk is healthier than pasteurized milk. These Americans have the right to consume these products without having the Federal Government second-guess their judgment about what products best promote health. If there are legitimate concerns about the safety of unpasteurized milk, those concerns should be addressed at the state and local level.
I urge my colleagues to join me in promoting consumers' rights, the original intent of the Constitution, and federalism by cosponsoring my legislation to allow the interstate shipment of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption.

ALL ACTIONS:
1/28/2009:
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E160)
1/28/2009:
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Do you agree with Dr. Paulson, or Rep. DeLauro?
(article excerpts below)

Nov. 26) -Traces of the industrial chemical melamine have been detected in samples of top-selling U.S. infant formula, but federal regulators insist the products are safe. The Food and Drug Administration said last month it was unable to identify any melamine exposure level as safe for infants, but a top official said it would be a "dangerous overreaction" for parents to stop feeding infant formula to babies who depend on it.
"The levels that we are detecting are extremely low," said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "They should not be changing the diet. If they've been feeding a particular product, they should continue to feed that product. That's in the best interest of the baby."
...
According to FDA data for tests of 77 infant formula samples, a trace concentration of melamine was detected in one product — Mead Johnson's Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. An FDA spreadsheet shows two tests were conducted on the Enfamil, with readings of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.
Three tests of Nestle's Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected an average of 0.247 parts per million of cyanuric acid, a melamine byproduct.
The FDA said last month that the toxicity of cyanuric acid is under study, but that meanwhile it is "prudent" to assume that its potency is equal to that of melamine.
And while the FDA said tests of 18 samples of formula made by Abbott Laboratories, including its Similac brand, did not detect melamine, spokesman Colin McBean said some company tests did find the chemical. He did not identify the specific product or the number of positive tests.
McBean did say the detections were at levels far below the health limits set by all countries in the world, including Taiwan, where the limit is 0.05 parts per million.

The FDA tests also detected melamine in two samples of nutritional supplements for very sick children who have trouble digesting regular food. Nestle's Peptamen Junior medical food showed 0.201 and 0.206 parts per million of melamine while Nestle's Nutren Junior-Fiber showed 0.16 and 0.184 parts per million.
The agency said that while there are no established exposure levels for infant formula, pediatric medical food — often used in feeding tubes for very sick, young children — can have 2.5 parts per million of melamine, just like food products other than infant formula.
...
Dr. Jerome Paulson, an associate professor of pediatrics at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., said he didn't think the FDA's decision was unreasonable. He added, however, that the agency should research the impacts of long-term, low-dose exposure, "and not just assume it's safe, and then 15 years from now find out that it's not."
...
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who heads a panel that oversees the FDA budget, said the agency was taking a "marketplace first, science last" approach.
"The FDA should be insisting on a zero-tolerance policy for melamine in domestic infant formula until it is able to determine conclusively based on sound independent science that the trace levels would not pose a health risk to infants," DeLauro said.

Quote:

After months of intense criticism for lack of action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the melamine milk scandal, the agency has finally banned all milk products manufactured in China.

This article mentions, however that milk is not the only concern as far as China and melamine contamination.  Now eggs and fish feed have been implicated too.

Good time to start eating local if you haven't already, is what I say.

I'm concerned about about what we may be eating. Now that the contaminated Chinese infant formula scandal has widened to include dairy-derived ingredients which the U.S. may be importing, we need the FDA to step up and protect American consumers.

Please join me in asking the FDA to ban all Chinese dairy products and ingredients until they are proven to be uncontaminated.

Melamine is the same ingredient that was found to have helped kill thousands of pets via renal failure in the U.S. last year. The appearance of Melamine is found in more and more products derived from milk. The kind of products we use to make cookies and put in chocolate. Other countries are acting but the U.S. has not -- we need you to write to the FDA now by clicking the link above. Tell them their proposed limited inspections are insufficient and that these deadly ingredients must be BANNED from import.

More news and information on this topic:

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it will tighten rules on milk imports that will require importers to identify the sources of ingredients of all milk products.
"We're strategizing with the [Bureau of Food and Drugs] and DOH to come up with additional disclosure requirement to include where their ingredients are coming from. In the event there is misrepresentation, we will use them to use documents of full disclosure against future liabilities," Duque told reporters.

Duque earlier banned all milk imports from China amid a health scandal involving melamine-contaminated milk in the communist state.

Which means this labelling requirement is not a safety measure, but only allows the consumer to beware *if* they are informed enough to know what is going on with this. I'm sorry - outside of geek me - I don't know many that even pay attention to news like this until lots of people become ill. This measure is taken so that if something happens the government has someone to hold liable. It's all about the bottom line.

Melamine testing (from the same article link above)

DOH chief epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag on Monday emphasized the difficulty of taking precautionary measures regarding the contamination of milk and other food products.
Tayag said that unless consumers will complain of ailments as a result of the products they use, the DOH and BFAD will not examine food items for chemicals that are not meant to be there.

So they're going to wait until people get sick until they do something about this. Because this is more cost effective. It's good business... and perhaps does something for trade relations, but I'm not sure it's in the best interest of the end user of these products.

How many people when they go to their doctors for a health problem - kidney stones, say... have a detailed list of the things they've eaten for months along with the country of origin of all the ingredients?

This same article point out the potential risk... in terms of drinking milk. However... I'm wondering if because the milk protein powders in formula are more concentrated than in the whole milk that adults would drink - if that accounts for the difference in effect...

Studies show that babies can get kidney stones if they drink more than two cups a day of melamine-tainted milk for several months. Adults, on the other hand, would need to take more than 15 cups of milk everyday for a long period of time in order for signs of melamine contamination to be evident.

Here are some ingredients directly involved. The fact is - even though we don't import liquid milk from Chine - they can powder and process that same milk - and the US government will allow that to be bought and sold here.

Casein, often listed as sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate or milk protein, is found in energy bars and drinks as well as packaged goods. I see it listed as an ingredient in many breads.

Whey protein is a popular supplement for athletes.

The EU in the New York Times comments .... [this] significantly expands the potential geographic reach of a milk adulteration scandal in China to now include a range of foods sold around the world, reports the New York Times.

The Europeans said cookies, toffees and chocolates were the major concerns.

The United States has imported two million pounds of a milk protein called casein this year, along with other powdered milk proteins that are used as ingredients in many processed foods, according to figures from the United States Department of Agriculture.
This includes 293,000 pounds that were imported in July. The Food and Drug Administration did not immediately return calls for comment on Thursday.

Even if present in foods in Europe, milk powder contaminated with melamine is not likely to cause the kind of public health disaster that is occurring among Chinese infants.

In China, babies drank contaminated milk powder as their sole source of nutrition for weeks if not months, and a handful have died.

So... keep it in perspective - but know what you and your children might be eating.

I was not aware of this... posting article excerpts for reference:

Tainted Candy Found in Connecticut

HARTFORD, Conn. (Oct. 2) - An industrial chemical blamed for sickening thousands of infants in China was found in candy in four Connecticut stores this week, a state official said Wednesday.

Days after contaminated White Rabbit Creamy Candy was found in California, Connecticut Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. said tests found melamine in bags of the candy sold at two New Haven stores, a West Hartford market and an East Haven store.

...the FDA warned consumers not to consume White Rabbit Candy and Mr. Brown coffee products because of possible melamine contamination.

Sanlu

Melamine

What are the symptoms and signs of melamine poisoning?

Irritability, blood in urine, little or no urine, signs of kidney infection, high blood pressure

Kidney infection symptoms
The following symptoms may be seen in case of kidney infection:

* Burning sensation or pain while urination takes place
* strong and continual urge to urinate
* frequent urination
* back side or groin pain
* inability to urinate
* cloudy urine with a strong smell
* fever
* pain in the loin (side of the abdomen above the kidney)
* pus or blood in the urine called hematuria
* feeling sick (nausea)
* abdominal pain or pressure
* need of urinating during the night called nocturia

Severe kidney infection includes:

* extreme fatigue
* confusion
* shaking chills
* nausea or vomiting
* night sweats
* high fever – body temperature of 38.3 degrees celsius or more

In case of infants as well as young children, the signs are:

* loss of appetite
* new episodes of bed-wetting (enuresis)
* irritability
* loose bowel movements

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is asking the ice cream maker to begin using breast milk in its products instead of cow's milk, saying it would reduce the suffering of cows and calves and give ice cream lovers a healthier product.

WHAT!?

Tracy Reiman, executive vice president of the animal rights advocacy group. She said dairy products have been linked to juvenile diabetes, allergies and obesity.

Ashley Byrne, a campaign coordinator for PETA, acknowledged the implausibility of substituting breast milk for cow's milk, but said it's no stranger than humans consuming the milk of another species.

"We're aware this idea is somewhat absurd, and that putting it into practice is a stretch. At the time same, it's pretty absurd for us to be drinking the milk of cows," she said."

At the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, consumers gave a collective "Eww" to the idea Thursday.

"It's kind of creepy," said Jeff Waugh, 42, of Dayton, Ohio.

Jen Wahlbrink, 34, of Phoenix, who breast-fed her 11-month-old son, Cameron, said she wouldn't touch ice cream made from mother's milk. She remembers her nursing days — and not that fondly.

"The (breast) pumps just weren't that much fun. You really do feel like a cow," she said, cradling her son in her hands.

The first thing my male coworkers (all with children nursing age) imagined was a row of women hooked up to breast pumps... just like cows.

I guess that's just the imagery Peta was going for.

Tongue's sixth 'taste' discovered — calcium

Ironically, while milk and other dairy products are loaded with calcium, the mineral tends to bind to fats and proteins, which prevents you from tasting it in these foods.

Article for further reading linked below with summary:

A Decade of Consumer Pressure Is Driving Monsanto's Bovine Growth Hormone off the Market

After 5 years of declining sales and several legal setbacks, Monsanto has finally decided to dump rBGH!

Monsanto announces its selling its posilac division that makes bovine growth hormone.

rBGH was approved by the FDA in November 1993 and marketed in February 1994. Studies show that milk from treated cows has an increased level of a spinoff hormone, IGF-1, which causes the cow to produce more milk. IGF-1 is identical in cows and humans, and studies show that it causes cells to proliferate, including cancerous cells.

rBGH is approved for use in 20 countries, says the Monsanto spokesperson, although it is banned in all of Europe, Japan, Australia and other industrialized countries, with the exception of the U.S.

This is an excerpt from one of the articles I was thinking about when I posted this forum.  This one is pretty cool because writing to the governor actually worked:

At a time when consumers can look at labels to find whether their food has less salt, is Kosher or trans-fat-free, the Pennsylvania Agriculture Department thought, when it came to labels on dairy products, less was more.

In October, Pennsylvania became the first state to ban the practice of labeling milk as free from Monsanto’s artificial growth hormone rBST also known as rbGH (synthetic or recombinant bovine growth hormone).
...

But on the eve of the February 1 deadline for label changes, a bombardment of consumer emails, letters and calls into Governor Edward Rendell's office convinced him to intervene and reverse the labeling prohibition.

In a statement Thursday, the governor said, “The public has a right to complete information about how the milk they buy is produced.”

Michael Hansen, Ph.D, a senior scientist with Consumers Union, one of the groups involved announced, “This is a victory for free speech, free markets, sustainable farming, and the consumer’s right to know. Consumers increasingly want to know more about how their food is produced, and particularly whether it is produced in natural and sustainable manner.”

Republicans = White

Democrats = Chocolate