This is new – a milk label claiming that the product is “All Natural, Farm Fresh. Free of Antibiotics, Rumensin, rBST.” The claim is being made by Sno-Fresh Dairy in Washington, and is the first time rumensin has been listed as part of a label claim. The company that makes rumensin, Elanco Animal Health, is keeping a close eye on the situation and is responding to the dairy’s claim.

According to Dennis Erpelding, manager of corporate affairs for Elanco Animal Health, “We are looking at this from a broader perspective. We understand that different producers use different production practices, that there are different consumer choices, and that this small bottler believes his customers want this product.” However, rumensin, rBST and antibiotics are all FDA-approved and safe to use. Rumensin was approved for dairy cows in the United States in 2004, and has been used around the world since 1978. “Rumensin is a widely-accepted technology by producers and consumers around the world,” adds Erpelding.