Annie Liebovitz' popular photos of celebrities with milk sloshed on their upper lips are a hit with teenage collectors. The Agriculture Department's inspector general has recommended suspending it until the board and USDA improve their management of it. In addition to raising questions about the campaign's effectiveness, the inspector cited ''serious concerns'' with the board's management structure and contracting procedures. Agriculture Department officials now are reviewing their management of all 12 commodity promotion programs that they oversee. USDA declined to shut down the milk-mustache program, and the board says it has already addressed many problems cited.
Milk is up against terrific competition in the beverage aisle.
You can't just look at this thing in a vacuum,'' she said. The board is financed through assessments on milk processors. The two campaigns will be combined in coming weeks. Other programs promote farm products from soybeans to watermelons, potatoes and popcorn. None is as widely recognized as the milk mustaches, a combination of milk and ice cream slathered on the celebrities' upper lips.