Rutter's Protests Milk Label Ban
YORK, Pa. -- Officials at the Rutter's Dairy, sister company to the 51-unit Rutter's Farm Stores convenience chain headquartered here, will descend on the state capitol today to protest a decision by the state that ordered it to change its milk labels, The Patriot-News reported.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced on Oct. 24 that Rutter's, along with 15 other dairy companies, must correct "false or misleading" milk labels by Jan. 1. The ban stemmed from claims by the department that no scientific test exists that can determine the truth of such claims, the report stated.
The dairy wants to keep using a "No Artificial Growth Hormone" label on milk sold by Rutter's, the report stated.
Rutter's spokesman Neal Goulet told the paper company officials plan to hand-deliver letters to members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly while at the capitol.
Goulet added the visit is part of a broader campaign by the company to communicate its artificial growth hormones labeling position, according to the report. Other measures taken include full-page newspaper ads, handling out more than 100,000 information cards at Rutter's stores and content at its Web site -- www.rutters.com -- the report stated.
Rutter's argued the state approved the "No Artificial Growth Hormones" label in August, only to reverse its decision in October.
Rutter's was not the only convenience chain to be affected by the label ban. One day before the ban, CSNews Online reported Wawa had developed labels with a "farmers' pledge" -- communicating that the company would only purchase raw milk from farmers who will pledge and sign legal affidavits stating they will not use artificial growth hormones on their cows.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced on Oct. 24 that Rutter's, along with 15 other dairy companies, must correct "false or misleading" milk labels by Jan. 1. The ban stemmed from claims by the department that no scientific test exists that can determine the truth of such claims, the report stated.
The dairy wants to keep using a "No Artificial Growth Hormone" label on milk sold by Rutter's, the report stated.
Rutter's spokesman Neal Goulet told the paper company officials plan to hand-deliver letters to members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly while at the capitol.
Goulet added the visit is part of a broader campaign by the company to communicate its artificial growth hormones labeling position, according to the report. Other measures taken include full-page newspaper ads, handling out more than 100,000 information cards at Rutter's stores and content at its Web site -- www.rutters.com -- the report stated.
Rutter's argued the state approved the "No Artificial Growth Hormones" label in August, only to reverse its decision in October.
Rutter's was not the only convenience chain to be affected by the label ban. One day before the ban, CSNews Online reported Wawa had developed labels with a "farmers' pledge" -- communicating that the company would only purchase raw milk from farmers who will pledge and sign legal affidavits stating they will not use artificial growth hormones on their cows.