They do this while maintaining their economic viability and supporting stable, affordable milk prices for consumers. In the U.S. alone, use of these supplements could reduce water irrigation by 700,000 gallons, save 1.7 million acres of land used for feed and grain, save 240,000 gallons of fuel, reduce nearly one million metric tons of manure and reduce 5.3 million tons of soil loss per year. Your responsible support for this safe product helps protect consumers, the environment and family farmers. So, there should be no doubt in the minds of consumers that the milk they drink is just as safe, nutritious and wholesome as it has always been. Every issue and every question about BST has been thoroughly and carefully studied by the federal government and several independent scientific institutions.
Consumers can continue to enjoy milk and dairy foods with complete confidence.
Unfortunately, a few fringe groups are using misleading statements and blatant falsehoods as part of a long-running campaign to scare consumers about a perfectly safe food. Their long-range goal is to prevent the benefits of biotechnology from reaching the public. Any suggestion that milk from BST-supplemented cows is unsafe for children to consume at school, or home, is a potential threat to their health and well being. We should be reenforcing the message that all dairy foods, when consumed as part of a varied and balanced diet, are healthful - and not burden our children with unwarranted fears about food safety. Supermarkets and dairy processors can play an important role by assuring consumers of the safety of the milk supply, by providing the facts on BST to interested customers, or by referring them to credible health and nutrition authorities.