Did you know that "milk is milk?"
The Center for Global Food Issues (CGFI) is part of a broad-based coalition which has filed state and federal complaints about false and misleading marketing practices in the dairy industry. As a result, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has announced it will be review claims being made and take action against those engaged in misleading marketing practices. Taking these concerns to the marketplace, CGFI has recently launched a grass roots campaign of concerned consumers, principally mothers, to educate food and dairy retailers (supermarket and grocery chains) regarding false and misleading label and marketing practices.

Why the Dairy Industry?
Milk and dairy products are an essential part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, particularly for children. In addition, family dairy farms are an important part of the American farm economy. Yet, certain misleading marketing practices by some in the dairy industry designed to increase sales of niche products are creating false fears and driving people away from affordable, nutritious dairy products. These marketers publicly admit to specifically targeting women and the children for whom they purchase food with their campaigns. In the process, state and federal regulations and guidelines specifically established to prevent these practices are being ignored.

These practices result in harm to family dairy farm economics; they defraud consumers; and, in some cases they promote production practices which harm the environment. CGFI and a growing coalition of concerned consumers are working with responsible retailers throughout North America to pressure those in the dairy industry engaging in false or misleading dairy marketing to stop.

What is Happening?
Well-published research shows that health and safety fears are a leading factor in driving consumer food purchase choices. This is particularly true for mothers who purchase products they believe to be better for their family's health and well-being. (At CGFI we understand that single people, non-moms, and many dads also purchase milk!). In the case of milk, labels that claim to be "pesticide-free," "antibiotic-free" or "hormone-free" are misleading and in most cases simply false. All milk, for example, has hormones (over 25 different hormones are naturally found in milk), whether a cow received supplements to increase milk production or not.

And supplements don't change milk; they just increase the cow's ability to produce milk more efficiently. Vitamin D3, which is added to most milk, is in fact a hormone. "Pesticide-free" and "antibiotic-free" claims are equally false and misleading; nobody adds pesticides to milk and all milk is tested to be free of any antibiotic residues. World renowned nutrition expert Dr. Ruth Kava of the American Council on Science and Health is quite outspoken on this issue stating simply "milk is milk," adding, "consumers have been subjected to misleading marketing." Put plain and simply - such claims are designed to separate consumers from more of their money by making product distinctions which do not exist.

These practices advance false health, nutrition and animal welfare perceptions, resulting in consumers spending more of their limited food budgets.

Concerned consumers like you can help by boycotting products from companies engaging in false or misleading marketing and by asking your local supermarket or grocer to enact policies preventing the sales or promotion of such products in the stores where you buy your family's food.