Several months ago I saw a documentary called "Go Further" - it wasn't a great film but the down to earth business people the main characters met on their trip were compelling. (It made me want to get some worms and start a natural fertilizer farm.) One other thing that stuck out in my mind was this conversation that Woody Harrelson had with another guy on the trip about milk and how, thanks to Monsanto, it's full of blood and pus. Being a die hard dairy eater with young children, and knowing that organic milk is nearly twice the price of regular milk here, I wasn't really dying to look into this issue further (ignorance really IS bliss, isn't it?) but a little while later my curiosity go the better of me...
The Green Guide describes several problems with the genetically engineered hormone rBGH introduced by Monsanto(used to increase milk production) but regarding the pus statement in particular:
"Use of rBGH increases the incidence of udder infections (mastitis) in cows. This can raise the amount of pus and antibiotics in milk, and lead to increased use of antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria."
Happily for those of us in Canada and the EU, rBGH was not approved here or overseas, so we don't have to worry about the particular issues surrounding it. For Americans, the Green Guide has a list of organic and rBGH-free dairies here. (Of course if you're in Canada buying frozen pizza made in the US, that cheese will be rBGH-filled...)
Still, we use a shedload of antibiotics in Canada (although there is a waiting period and testing to make it has completely cleared the cow's system after antibiotics are administered) and at the very least the runoff from the pesticides used on the feed isn't helping anyone, so I've slowly been making a transition to organic milk. First it was just once in a while, then only when I made it down to the store that has it a buck cheaper than my local shop, but now we buy it all the time, so I can say that I've made the change. Done deal. Besides, I can order it with my Front Door Organics produce delivery - I don't even have to lug it back in the stroller with 60 pounds of toddlers every week!
~ Lynn