The Ohio Dairy Producers Association, representing hundreds of Ohio dairy farmers, commends the Ohio Department of Agriculture and State Legislators for creating the benchmark regulation in dairy labeling.

 

ODPA is disappointed in the International Dairy Foods Association for filing a lawsuit against the State of Ohio challenging Ohio's dairy labeling regulation. We believe Ohio's dairy labeling rule helps secure the consumer's right to complete, honest, and up-front information regarding the foods they eat.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has affirmed and reaffirmed that there is no safety, quality, or compositional difference between milk from cows treated with rBST and milk from cows with only naturally occurring BST.

 

In Ohio, marketers are required to accompany the production claim "from cows not treated with rBST" with a disclaimer providing further information indicating that there is no safety, quality, or compositional difference between milk with and without rBST.

 

By providing the consumer with more information, the disclaimer offers more choices to anyone who might have otherwise been limited in their options with the mistaken belief there is a safety concern with some milk.

 

ODPA applauds the state of Ohio for protecting consumer interests with responsible labeling regulation, and for being progressive with dairy labeling that should be adopted nationwide.

 

###

 

The Ohio Dairy Producers Association is the grassroots legislative, producer education and research organization for Ohio’s dairy industry.