Terry D. Etherton

Not long ago, I got an invitation to speak at the annual 2009 Dairy Forum sponsored by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).  It was tempting to say “yes”… the meeting is being held at a dandy upscale hotel on the Disney World property in Florida, and in January, 2009!  I, however, had a schedule conflict and couldn’t accept the invitation.

Good thing, however, given the title of the session I was invited to speak at was entitled “Labeling – War of Words”.

As I looked through the invitation and discussion of the session’s objectives, a paragraph “jumped out” at me.

“The labeling of milk and dairy products has become increasingly controversial, confusing and contentious. This panel discussion will focus on the latest legal battles over artificial growth hormone labeling, as well as other recent state and federal attempts to define what information must be included on our product labels.  If labeling is a hot topic in your market, come learn the latest on these issues.”

War of Words?

Confusing!  Contentious!

Come on!

In large part, processor members of IDFA are responsible for this mess!

NOW, they are going to sponsor a meeting to “talk about it”?  Very puzzling, especially when one of the invitees to speak at the session is from a company that is very anti-science.

The stunning aspect to me about this program idea is that the processor members of IDFA were the one’s who created the deceptive and misleading marketing campaigns that attacked rbST!  I originally wrote about this in a blog called “rbST-Certified Free Milk – A Story of Smoke and Mirrors” in 2006.

The theme of that blog in a nutshell was: some dairy processors are perfectly willing to exploit consumer ignorance and suspicion that some milk might be safer (rbST-free) or healthier than other milk. And, charge a whole lot more for the “safer” milk!

I have written extensively about the fact that all milk is the same from the standpoint of nutrient and hormone content (see:  No Difference in Conventional, rbST-Free and Organic Milk).

The science evidence is clear, not confusing, that all milk is the same.  The only confusion is that created by the Luddites and the milk marketers.

Can you imagine?

Me talking about science and the need for technological innovation in animal agriculture in front some of the dairy processors that concocted this misleading marketing campaign that attacks safe science and scientists?

And, likely with a few luddites in the audience to boot!

And, the phrase “artificial growth hormone” in the promotion of the program.

I wrote a blog last spring “Irony and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)” and took the organization to task for double speak for issuing two contrasting press releases.

Someone must be teaching an advanced course in irony and deception at IDFA…wonder what the prerequisites are for the course?  It also would be nice to know who was teaching this “stuff”.