Kansas Gov. Katherine Sebelius, in what is likely to be one of the last actions of her tenure, has vetoed legislation passed by the State Legislature that would require that dairy products from cows not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH or rbST) carry a disclaimer that says, “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined there are no significant differences between milk from cows that receive injections of the artificial hormone and milk from those that do not.”
The goal of the disclaimer is to lessen the impression that cows not treated with the artificial hormone that induces them to produce more milk are any safer than cows that are.
In her veto message, Sebelius said that the bill “provides for changes in dairy labeling that could make it more difficult to provide consumers with clear information. The milk labeling provisions negatively impact a dairy producer’s ability to inform consumers that milk is from cows not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBST).”
The veto is considered a victory for the coalition of 29 groups including farmers and consumer advocates who opposed the legislation.
Sebelius is President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the nomination has been approved by a Senate committee and now goes to the full Senate for a vote.
The goal of the disclaimer is to lessen the impression that cows not treated with the artificial hormone that induces them to produce more milk are any safer than cows that are.
In her veto message, Sebelius said that the bill “provides for changes in dairy labeling that could make it more difficult to provide consumers with clear information. The milk labeling provisions negatively impact a dairy producer’s ability to inform consumers that milk is from cows not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBST).”
The veto is considered a victory for the coalition of 29 groups including farmers and consumer advocates who opposed the legislation.
Sebelius is President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the nomination has been approved by a Senate committee and now goes to the full Senate for a vote.
- KC's View:
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As said previously here, the proposed label was actually designed to obfuscate the issue, not clarify it…which is not what labeling is supposed to do.
This is, I think, the right decision.
