Indiana Becomes Second State to Reject rbST Label Restrictions

The Indiana legislature last week rejected a bill that would have prohibited processors from making truthful compositional claims regarding rbST on dairy products labels. This decision follows action taken last month by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to rescind its earlier decision to impose similar restrictions on processors.

Although the Indiana bill appeared ready for approval, IDFA joined several members and the Midwest Dairy Foods Association in an effective communications initiative to express their concerns to state legislators. Several consumer groups voiced their opposition as well.

"This is a victory for consumers who would have been denied the information they want as well as for processors that have the right to make truthful claims about their products," said Jerry Slominski, IDFA senior vice president.

The bill (H.B. 1300), which had been approved by the Indiana House Agriculture Committee the previous week, would have banned all compositional and production claims regarding rbST that are currently allowed by the Food and Drug Administration. It had been introduced for a second reading before the full Indiana House, but the bill's sponsor, Representative Bill Friend, pulled it when he recognized that the bill faced significant opposition.

Because the Indiana Senate didn't issue a companion bill, IDFA believes the House bill probably will not resurface before the legislature adjourns in March.

IDFA will continue to oppose all measures that seek to restrict truthful and not misleading labels for all milk and dairy products.

For more information, contact Slominski at jslominski@idfa.org or 202-220-3512.

Posted February 4, 2008