Milk Labeling

1. Milk Labeling In Pennsylvania

2. Players in the Policy Process Providers Consumers Experts Officials Advocates

3. At Issue Use of biogenetically engineered growth hormone to enhance productivity of dairy cows.

4. Pennsylvania’s action Banned ‘misleading’ milk labels that say ‘No Hormones’ or “Hormone Free’ or ‘No rBST’ or ‘no rBGH’ or ‘free of artificial hormones.’

5. Problem Definitions are Stories narrative structure a beginning, a middle, and an end involve change or transformation heroes and villains and innocent victims pit the forces of evil against the forces of good (Deborah Stone, Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making)

6. Problem Definitions are Stories What appears as conflict over details is really disagreement about the fundamental story. (Deborah Stone, Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making)

7. What’s the problem? Officials’ story Consumer goes to supermarket for milk, reads labels, is confused. Officials intervene on labeling. Consumers gain confidence and make informed choices.

8. What’s the problem? Provider stories Monsanto enhances production milk processors want to label milk as hormone-free farmers use or do not use growth hormones in milk production farmers want or do not want to say so on labels.

9. Expert stories Use of artificial growth hormones does or does not present risk for people or cows Advocate stories labeling is not the only issue or the real problem What’s the problem?

10. Policy resolution… Free speech and free choice “Governor Rendell says consumers can have greater confidence in milk labels. Labels can say milk was produced without RBST or growth hormones, as long as they are uniform.” Press release, Pennsylvania Governor’s Press Office January 17, 2008