Use of Recombinant Growth Hormone (rBGH)

Approved: 2001

Reaffirmed: 2008; 2015

Retired: 2022

Whereas,	The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits the use of Posilac, a recombinant bovine growth hormone (fBGH) to increase milk production in cows; and
Whereas,	The long term health risks of human consumption of milk and other dairy products derived from cows injected with rBGH are unknown because of very short studies; and
Whereas,	Cows injected with rBGH are more prone to mastitis (udder infection) and the antibiotic treatment for mastitis could lead to antibiotic residues in milk; and
Whereas,	The human body builds immunities to ingested antibiotics thereby making them less likely to be effective when medically necessary; and
Whereas,	IGF-1, the end product of rBGH-1, is increased during the pasteurization process and may increase the susceptibility to breast, prostate and colon cancer; and
Whereas,	Suspected health risks have stopped other industrialized countries from approving rBGH; these include Canada, Japan, Australia, and the European Union nations; and
Whereas,	Parents, independent researchers, public interest groups, organic, restaurateurs, retail grocers and other  consumers have indicated that they are against purchasing milk, infant formula, cheese, ice cream, other dairy products and beef produced from cows injected with rBGH; and
Whereas,	Several states have enacted legislation requiring the labeling of milk and other dairy products derived from cows  injected with rBGH because consumers have the right to know what is in their milk; therefore be it
Resolved,	That the New Jersey PTA educates its members to the potential long term risks of rBGH; and be it further
Resolved,	That the New Jersey PTA seeks and support legislation requiring labeling of milk and other products from cows treated with rBGH; and be it further
Resolved,	That the New Jersey PTA, and all its PTAs school districts to purchase milk products with such labeling; and be it  further
Resolved,	That the New Jersey PTA seeks and support studies and legislation that would require further research and testing of milk from cows treated with rBGH including studies of the long-term effects of rBGH in milk on human beings.