The American Center for Global Food Issues (CGFI) has brought its campaign targeted at the false marketing of milk to thousands in the industry at the Worldwide Food Expo in Chicago.
'Milk is milk' is a term that was first coined by Dr. Ruth Kava from the American Council on Science and Health, and has become the slogan under which the CGFI has run its campaign against misleading milk marketing. The group claims that health and safety fears concerning milk have been ignited by misleading advertisements that encourage consumers to be more selective when buying milk products for their households.
The campaign is primarily aimed at helping concerned mothers, and the CGFI was given the opportunity to introduce its initiative to thousands of food and dairy industry leaders last week at the Worldwide Food Expo held at McCormick Place, Chicago. It focused on educating food and dairy retailers, as well as supermarket and grocery chains, of the dangers of false and misleading labelling practices.
"The misleading marketing of certain dairy products as superior in health, nutrition or quality creates undue concerns for consumers and hurts farmers," said Alex Avey, the research director at CGFI.
The organisation argues that milk producers that label their products as 'antibiotic' or 'hormone free' are misleading the consumers in an attempt to "separate consumers from their money by making product distinctions which do not exist," said Dr Kava.
She said that 'pesticide' and 'antibiotic free' are claims that are "equally false," arguing that "all milk has hormones regardless of whether a cow received supplements to increase milk production or not. Supplements do not change milk; they just increase the cows ability to produce milk more efficiently," she concluded.
Milk is tested numerous times before it reaches the dairy to ensure that it meets or exceeds government standards and requirements for safety, purity and quality.
The Center claims that "the marketers publicly admit to specifically targeting women and children with their campaigns. In the process, state and federal regulations and guidelines established to prevent these practices are being ignored."
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has backed the CGFI campaign and in has recently taken action against milk producers who were found to be in violation of FDA labelling guidelines.
"Milk and dairy products are an essential part of a healthy, well balanced diet, particularly for children. Yet, certain misleading marketing practices designed to increase sales of niche products are creating false fears and driving people away from affordable, nutritious dairy products," said the CGFI.
For more information on CGFI's campaign visit milkismilk