Dairies permitted note absence of rBST

Business

Discussion

January 26, 2008

BY TED POTTS The Tribune-Democrat Sat Jan 26, 2008, 11:28 PM EST

LORETTO — Vale Wood Farms will be permitted to continue labeling its milk as coming from cows not treated with the rBST hormone as a result of action this month by the state Department of Agriculture.

The department issued new standards for milk labeling.

The rules allow dairies to make that claim as long as the labels include a statement that no significant difference has been shown between milk from cows treated with rBST and those not treated with the hormone, spokesman Chris L. Ryder said.

Vale Wood Farms was one of 19 dairies to receive notification from the Department of Agriculture in October that the rBST-hormone-free claim on its label would no longer be accepted. The ban was to take effect Feb. 1.

However, the 19 dairies now have until March 1 to submit wordings on their labeling regarding the non-use of rBST for the department’s approval, Ryder said.

Vale Wood Farms is the only dairy in the Cambria-Somerset region to be impacted by the agriculture department actions. The next closest operation is in Pittsburgh.

Cows injected with the synthetic hormone rBST produce more milk than cows that are not treated with it.

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved use of rBST more than 10 years ago, recent consumer movement toward natural foods have resulted in some dairies not using rBST in their milk production.

“We are relieved to continue to be able to label our cartons as containing ‘milk from cows not treated with rBST hormone,’ ” said Bill Itle, president of Vale Wood Farms, which is at 517 Vale Wood Road.

Vale Wood Farms never has used rBST, spokeswoman Carissa Itle Westrick said last week. She said the company began noting that fact on its labeling in 2004.

Westrick said that rBST is not a public health issue.

“Its use just doesn’t fit into our philosophy,” she said.

She added that the statement regarding the dairy’s nonuse of rBST will be moved to the front panel of its milk cartons, once the agriculture department formally approves the wording.

Ryder said last week the department issued the new milk-labeling standards after receiving a lot of feedback from the public on its decision last fall stopping dairies from stamping milk containers with hormone-free labels.

When applicable, he said, the public wanted these labels.

“So we developed more accurate wording for the labeling,” he said in a statement.

Gov. Ed Rendell said dairies wanting to have no-rBST wordings on their labels will be required to vouch for their production methods to allow the agriculture department to verify those claims.

“I’ve directed the Department of Agriculture to increase the accountability of processors and protect consumers by taking legal action against any labels found to be inaccurate,” Rendell said.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Business

Facebook surrenders its privacy in IPO documents
Facebook is baring its business soul.

February 2, 2012 1 Photo
Will Facebook deliver an IPO surprise?
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg turns up at business conventions in a hoodie. "Cocky" is the word used to describe him most often, after "billionaire." He was Time's person of the year at 26.

So when he takes Facebook public, why would he follow the Wall Street rules?

January 31, 2012 1 Photo
Jobless numbers decline
The unemployment rate in Cambria and Somerset counties fell one-tenth of a percentage point in December, in line with lower numbers statewide and nationally.

January 30, 2012
Train kept a-rollin’: Norfolk Southern to add 2,600 workers in 2012, more in future
The days of little boys (and girls) dreaming of becoming train engineers may be coming back.

January 28, 2012
TOM YOUNG | Bad timing for new lawyers
So, your son or daughter has decided to become a lawyer. Law school is a three-year course after you have a bachelor’s degree. It’s expensive, so start saving.
However, is law school a good idea right now?

January 28, 2012
Business people: Therapists attend education program
Rich Giraud and Mike Phillips of Allegheny Chesapeake Physical Therapy recently attended the Treating Balance and Vestibular Dysfunction continuing education program offered at Chatham University in Pittsburgh.

January 28, 2012
Real estate transactions 01/29/2012
January 28, 2012
Business brief | Bank donates to PSU-Altoona
Altoona-based C&G Savings Bank has presented a $25,000 gift to Penn State-Altoona to create the bank’s first endowed student award at the college.

January 25, 2012
Business brief | AmeriServ reports improved earnings
Johnstown-based AmeriServ Financial Inc. on Tuesday announced sharply improved earnings for both the fourth quarter and 2011, compared with the year earlier.

January 24, 2012
S&T earnings up in 2011
S&T Bancorp on Monday announced improved earnings for 2011 and year-over-year for the fourth quarter.

January 23, 2012
More Business Headlines

Business

Search Results

Discussion

Dairies permitted note absence of rBST

Where will you watch the Super Bowl?

Contact Us