What Happened, Gov. Strickland?

I was horrified to learn that Ohio governor Ted Strickland, a man who is usually pretty reasonable and smart, has developed Executive Order 2008 03S, which, when it takes effect (soon!), will make it impossible for milk producers to label their milk cartons "rBGH-free."

Why does this matter? Well, rBGH is an artificial hormone given to cows to force them to produce more milk. While the FDA states that there is no difference between milk made from rBGH-injected cows and those not injected with the hormone, many studies (and some of the FDA's own publications) have exposed the increase in disease that cows experience when injected with rBGH, particularly the disease known as mastitis. Mastitis is a disease that causes inflammation, swelling, and pus drainage, some of which ends up in the milk product. Milk from cows treated with rBGH contains higher levels of Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1); Humans naturally have IGF-1 in their bodies, but increased levels have been linked to colon and breast cancer.

As a consumer, I would prefer my milk providers not to use this chemical; I'd rather pay slightly more for a product that is 1) safer, and 2) not made in a way that causes horrible pain and debilitated sickness in cows. If companies ARE going to use it, I'd prefer that I know about it, so that I can use a brand that doesn't use it— and there are plenty of brands available. So why not let me choose for myself?

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a similar gag bill last month, so Ohio is actually the ONLY state where it's illegal to label milk as "rBGH-free." And why? Don't I have the right, as a consumer, to know what I'm consuming? What about when I choose to get pregnant— why wouldn't you want a pregnant woman to be able to consume chemical-free products in order to promote the health of the fetus?

I'm going to call my governor’s office tomorrow, and I hope my fellow Ohioans who have done their research and agree with me will call [(614) 466-3555] or email the governor to express their concerns, as well!