Determinants of Consumer Acceptability of Bovine Somatotropin

Following much investigation and debate, on November 5, 1993, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of bovine somatotropin (bST) to increase milk production in lactating dairy cows. A Congressional moratorium on the sale of expired on February 3, 1994. The FDA concluded that because there was no significant difference between milk from treated and untreated cows, it did not have the authority to require special labelling for milk from bSTtreated cows. However, the FDA ruling did not preclude the labelling of products from untreated animals, provided such labelling was truthful and not misleading (United States Food and Drug Administration). A number of supermarket chains have indicated that they will not carry milk from treated animals and at least one ice cream manufacturer (Ben & Jerry's) refuses to use milk from treated animals. Since consumers will effectively have a choice between milk products from bST-treated or untreated animals, the commercial success or failure of this new technology will depend critically on consumer reaction. To date, the most common means of investigating consumer concerns about issues such as have been surveys. McGuirk and Kaiser conducted a survey of consumers in New York and Virginia. About one-quarter of their respondents expressed some doubt about the safety of bST milk, and respondents in both states indicated they would decrease their purchases of fluid milk by 18 to 20 percent if were introduced. Smith and Warland summarized the results of a number of consumer