Green Parents- What’s the difference between organic milk and hormone free milk?
Sep 05, 2010 in
FAQs
The only hormone free milk is not as expensive. We’ve been buying organic milk, but I was wondering what the difference is and if it’s ok to buy just the hormone free milk? Why or why not?
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4 comments
Courage on September 5, 2010 at 6:57 am
It sort of depends on the milk you’re buying. Horizon Organic milk for instance, the most popular brand, don’t add hormones or antibiotics, and the feed the animals eat are from organic sources (ie, no pesticides spread on the plants.) Some of the claims though are kind of silly. Growth hormones, for instance, have never been added to milk cows, only to beef cows. Antibiotics have never been added to milk and they test for traces of it from the cows to make sure it’s not in the milk. And the definition of organic is rather shaky.
Now, personally, I like my natural food store milk. The milk is from local sources, they reuse the milk-cartons (you bring them back and get a dollar off every 2 gallons when you do…), and the cows are fed on pasture. To me it tastes better. The chefs in the area really love it. The reusing of the cartons, the free-pasture cows, and the local sources (less gas used) make it a very green choice, almost as green as you can get, definitely as green as you can get in the city.
So, definition of organic milk is:
"According to USDA’s standards, milk and milk products can be labeled "organic" if the milk is from cows that have been exclusively fed organic feed, are kept in pens with adequate space, are allowed periodic access to the outdoors and direct sunlight, are not treated with synthetic hormones and are not given certain medications to treat illness. Organic classification is not a judgment about the quality or safety of any product. As with all organic foods, it’s the process that makes milk organic, not the final product."
Note, it’s periodic access to the outdoors and sunlight, again hormones aren’t added anyway, and normal milk doesn’t have traces of antibiotics (or they wouldn’t be able to sell it.) It’s not a difference in quality or milk, but the process. But, it definitely is more than hormone free (which only means they don’t add hormones, which again is a moot point. It’s basically normal milk.) But the difference isn’t in the milk, but in the way the cows are treated. And since the non-pesticide fed grain means no pesticides in the ground, it’s the only "green" choice of the two.
Edit: Adding more links. Frequently Asked Questions about things like antibiotics and hormones given to cows and whether it increases anything in the milk. It also goes into organic milk farming.
Milk naturally has a lot of hormones and always has. Another factor though that seems to be far more likely about early development tends to be far more exposure to soy.
kristen060810 on September 5, 2010 at 6:57 am
I believe that the difference is that organic milk has no hormones and the cows are not treated with antibiotics. Hormone free is just simply that.. The cows are not given growth hormones.
the luckiest mama in the world on September 5, 2010 at 6:57 am
hormone free milk is just that. Organic is hormone free, and antibiotic free, the food they eat is organic (no chemicals eg/ pesticides, growth enhancers)
Why….because everything the cow consumes or is given is passed to us through their milk. The Hormones are making our children develop faster has been linked to the rising incidence of males developing breasts and also putting our bodies and own chemical and hormone production out of wack. And the antibiotics, well its bad to consume them when you don’t need them. Although they are made for cows much of the components are the same as whats in out antibiotics. So when we get sick and need antibiotics our body could already have resistance to them from the exposure from the cows milk
sarah s on September 5, 2010 at 6:57 am
There is no such thing as hormone free milk. Milk has hormones as do many many foods ( soy is VERY high in hormones, btw).
The hormone given to some cows does not transfer into the milk, so there isn’t even a way to test for it. Farmers are on the honesty policy only as far as it’s use.
Organic milk is a scam. Save your money and buy conventional milk.