Oakhurst Dairy: No to Artificial Growth Hormone Milk

26/10/06 From the beginning, Oakhurst Dairy has said "no" to artificial growth hormone milk. "It's always been important to us, and to our customers," said Stan Bennett, president of Oakhurst. More than ten years ago, when the Monsanto Company introduced the artificial growth hormone, rBST, as a way to increase milk production, Oakhurst announced its decision to only accept milk from untreated cows. That's when Oakhurst became the first dairy in America to create a "Farmers' Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormone Used."

Oakhurst was also instrumental in getting the State of Maine to back hormone-free dairy labeling and they were first to pay farmers a premium to pledge not to use rBST. The other major milk processors in Maine, Garelick and HP Hood, subsequently jumped on the rBST-free bandwagon in the State of Maine.

Garelick and HP Hood recently announced they are switching to rBST-free milk in New England markets beyond Maine. It has been reported in Boston that the change is coming at a premium of 20 to 50 cents a gallon in some stores. "We have always paid our farmers a premium for rBST-free milk and it is a cost we've absorbed to satisfy our consumers," states Bennett. "All of our fresh milk products sold anywhere in New England have always been rBST free without passing along any premiums to our customers."

It was Oakhurst's leadership on this issue that put them in the spotlight when Monsanto sued over the pledge. Today Oakhurst's package still carries America's First Farmers' Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormone Used. "Even though the FDA states that there is no significant difference in the milk from cows treated with artificial growth hormone, our consumers are concerned, and we listen," states Bennett. "While other brands are just now switching from their current rBST-treated milk supply, consumers should take comfort in knowing that when it comes to artificial growth hormones, Oakhurst has never had them and never will!"