Cory Meyers, DVM
Marion, PA

Rome was not built in a day. Neither was the dairy industry. Like Rome, the dairy industry has gone through an impressive Golden Age of scientific and technological discovery and development that has significantly enhanced productivity and efficiency. Unfortunately, the parallels continue. The end of Rome began when internal strife and governmental ineptitude disintegrated the social fabric. Internal weakness and strife made the country more susceptible to attack from outside forces which perpetuated the splintering of the empire.

Today, our dairy industry is splintering from within, increasing susceptibility to attack from outside extremists. Profit-driven processors exacerbate the situation by further splintering the dairy case through use of deceptive labeling practices that promote fear, inferring one product is safer than the other. There are some who promote organic, grazing dairies in a way that reinforces the attacks from the outside extremists who refer to larger dairies as “factory farms,” flaunt their status as family farms, and infer their milk is safer and healthier than conventional milk. Finally, more producers are associating themselves with milk that is labeled “hormone-free.” This inaccurate labeling is a slight to dairy producers using the FDA-approved technology, rbST.

With growing internal splintering, consumers become increasingly confused and begin to question the safety and health value of ALL milk. The anti-ag activist groups add to the confusion by distributing misinformation about milk and the dairy industry. Some consumers begin to consider the false statements about “factory farms,” thinking that dairy cows are managed in a manner that does not put animal welfare first. This results in some consumers having the perception of the family farm only as the organic, grazing dairy. Therefore, in what is perceived as a noble gesture, the consumer purchases milk labeled organic to show support for the family farm. “Hormone-free” labeling infers that milk without this label must be unhealthy and dangerous.

Because a splintering dairy industry is detrimental to the consumer, the industry has an obligation to halt the infighting and become introspective in order to support and accurately promote all milk as a food product that is an important part of our diet. A strong, proactive movement will benefit all dairies, dairies of every shape and size, not just certain segments. How milk is produced is a lifestyle and business decision that must be heeded and respected. Every segment has their purpose. The niche markets will always exist and must be supplied by the various segments of the industry. The more economically efficient and productive dairies must exist in order to supply the ever-growing population; without them, the supply will be acquired from other countries which becomes a national security risk.

A strong proactive, positive dairy image movement must strive to combat misinformation in an aggressive manner. The benefits of dairy farming outweigh any risks. Focus on the positive. Inform consumers that dairymen strive for a high quality, nutritious food, thoroughly tested as safe for consumption. Show the consumer that dairymen understand that high production occurs in the absence of stress by providing a comfortable environment and sound nutrition, a reality far from the chilly depiction of the “factory farm.” Abiding by these principles, productivity and efficiency are enhanced by using technology considered humane for the cow and deemed to have no effect on milk quality or composition. There is a cost associated with removing approved technologies that increase profitability from the capable, responsible hands of the dairy producer.

Consumers should understand that all milk, including soy milk and organic milk, contains natural hormones. Finally, the consumer must see the actual face of the dairy industry, the family farms, small and large, grazing and intensively managed, that produce the majority of the country’s milk. They must be told the reality: that the majority of the large dairies in the United States are family-owned and operated.

The dairy industry is sliding down a slippery slope. Internally the industry is splintering as various segments fight for market share as they are forced to meet demands of processors. This internal weakness will open the industry up to attacks from outside fringe elements that will continue to weaken the industry. The solution is not easy and requires a united dairy industry that undertakes introspection and reconfirmation of our obligation to provide a safe and nutritious food. At the same time, we must take a strong, proactive, and positive stance to enhance consumers’ real awareness about the dairy industry while combating verbal and unfounded attacks from some anti-ag activist groups.