# Milk in the U.S? (Florida specifically) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129 "2011-04-20T20:41:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/21 "2011-04-21T15:36:42Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > But really lots and lots of milk from lots and lots of different cows and farmers is all blended together… well homogenized, it would seem like it would obliterate any regional distinctions- although I can taste differences between local dairies and different store brands, but I think it has more to do with their pasteurizing and processing techniques more than anything to do with the provenance of the milk.. Homogenization refers to the practice of spraying the milk through very tiny nozzles prior to bottling. This more fully mixes the cream and the milk. That’s also why you don’t need to shake your milk bottles anymore. What the cows eat can definitely affect how the milk tastes. When I was younger, every spring, the cows would start eating the wild onions that grew in their pastures. I hated milk in the spring. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/22 "2011-04-21T15:40:35Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Homogenization refers to the practice of spraying the milk through very tiny nozzles prior to bottling. This more fully mixes the cream and the milk. That’s also why you don’t need to shake your milk bottles anymore. Homogenization as a milk production process refers to that, yes. Homogenization as a broader term refers to taking a bunch of things and mixing them so you can’t tell the individual parts apart anymore. “The homogenization of America” refers to cultures mingling so that they lose their separate cultural identities, for example. So in large scale milk production, milk is homogenized (mixed with other milk) before it’s homogenized (sprayed through very tiny nozzles.) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/23 "2011-04-21T15:51:18Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Homogenization as a milk production process refers to that, yes. Homogenization as a broader term refers to taking a bunch of things and mixing them so you can’t tell the individual parts apart anymore. “The homogenization of America” refers to cultures mingling so that they lose their separate cultural identities, for example. > > So in large scale milk production, milk is homogenized (mixed with other milk) before it’s homogenized (sprayed through very tiny nozzles.) 😉 Fair enough. I’m not familiar with large operations. As a kid, I would get sent up to my Grandfather’s for a couple of weeks in the summer as free labor on his brother’s dairy farm. Mmm… fresh pasture fed Guernsey milk. \ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/24 "2011-04-21T16:06:13Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > Do Canadian cows not have BGH? 😕 No, they don’t. [ > [@](#): > > European nations and Canada have banned rBGH to protect citizens from IGF-1 hazards. ]([http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/milk.htm](http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/milk.htm)) [ > [@](#): > > The United States is the only developed nation to permit humans to drink milk from cows given artificial growth hormone. Posilac was banned from use in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and all European Union countries (currently numbering 27), by 2000 or earlier. ]([Bovine somatotropin - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_somatotropin)) Posilac is the trade name that Monsanto Corp. marketed their synthetic rBGH under. That name and product are now owned by Eli Lilly & Co. [interesting aside] After leaving the CIA in 1977, George Bush landed a job as head of Eli Lilly. He was given the job by his good friends the Quayles, who at the time were one of the largest shareholders in the company. 11 years later, Dan Quayle was his VP nominee. [/intersting aside] ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/25 "2011-04-21T17:33:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > No, they don’t. > > [ > [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine\_somatotropin]](http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/milk.htm) > > Posilac is the trade name that Monsanto Corp. marketed their synthetic rBGH under. That name and product are now owned by Eli Lilly & Co. > > [interesting aside] > > After leaving the CIA in 1977, George Bush landed a job as head of Eli Lilly. He was given the job by his good friends the Quayles, who at the time were one of the largest shareholders in the company. 11 years later, Dan Quayle was his VP nominee. > > [/intersting aside] However, just about all milk available in the supermarket is labeled that it doesn’t contain BGH, even though it’s legal in this country. At least, that’s what I see here in the Safeway in Northern California. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/26 "2011-04-21T17:46:28Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > However, just about all milk available in the supermarket is labeled that it doesn’t contain BGH, even though it’s legal in this country. > > At least, that’s what I see here in the Safeway in Northern California. Safeway is one of a handful of store brands that are rBGH-free. Publix, Kroger and Wal-Mart are the others, but note that applies only to their store brands; they still sell other brands of milk that are not rBGH-free. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/27 "2011-04-21T17:51:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > After leaving the CIA in 1977, George Bush landed a job as head of Eli Lilly. Just on your aside, he was on the Board of Directors of Eli Lilly. He never was its head. I’m also having trouble verifying that the Quayles owned large amounts of the company. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/28 "2011-04-21T18:44:40Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Interesting thing. Just recently I saw my first real **Milkbank** sign at a Hospital (where’s the cellcam when you need it?). Not only do we take the milk of other mammals, but when we talk about our own human “dairys” we euphemize and sterilize it scientifically. No Milk Banks for Bessie. We may be the only species that has the sense to domesticate some creatures for milk, but I assure you, given the opportunity, plenty of animals drink milk. Cats and dogs are happy to, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/29 "2011-04-21T18:44:57Z")
**Cap** , I’ll PM you. No need to hijack this whole thread, eh. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/30 "2011-04-21T18:52:00Z")
Thanks, **Bo**. That’s some interesting food for thought! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/31 "2011-04-21T18:56:21Z")
Your welcome, **antonio**. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/32 "2011-04-21T18:59:38Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Safeway is one of a handful of store brands that are rBGH-free. Publix, Kroger and Wal-Mart are the others, but note that applies only to their store brands; they still sell other brands of milk that are not rBGH-free. Publix does not sell any brand milk with BGH, and Walmart brand milk is BGH free as well, don’t know about the other brands. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/33 "2011-04-21T19:19:06Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Publix does not sell any brand milk with BGH, and Walmart brand milk is BGH free as well, don’t know about the other brands. Upon further research, I see that you are correct: Publix has not sold milk containing rBGH since 2007. I also note that Wal-Mart, Costco and Kroger all have refused to carry brands that contain rBGH, at least since 2008. Note that [Kroger stores](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroger) include many regional chains with names other than “Kroger”, including Ralphs, Smith’s, Pay Less, Food 4 Less and King Soopers, among many others. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/34 "2011-04-21T19:22:07Z")
I haven’t made a survey of milk throughout the USA. However, [Revival Market](http://www.revivalmarket.com/)just opened in my neighborhood. I usually drink fat-free milk & don’t _really_ mind but their organic/sustainable/whatever fat-free milk is totally delicious. But Revival Market can’t sell beer or wine. The Heights was a trolley suburb annexed by Houston more than a century ago–on the condition the area remained dry. So–No Beer joints in The Heights. Now, it’s No Hip Restaurants in The Heights. (A few have tried BYOB, but even the currently fashionable modest markup on wine, beer & cocktails is an important source of revenue.) In most of Texas, beer & wine are sold in grocery (or other general) stores; liquor stores sell beer, wine & the hard stuff & have more limited hours. Of course, the state has its Dry Counties & Towns. But there is this Fossil Dry Area just north of Downtown Houston! (I live on the border, where a Pakistani family that owns 2 convenience stores & a liquor store is doing quite well, catering to Heights denizens in need of wine for pasta or craft-brewed 6-packs.) ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/35 "2011-04-23T02:15:14Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > We may be the only species that has the sense to domesticate some creatures for milk, but I assure you, given the opportunity, plenty of animals drink milk. Cats and dogs are happy to, for example. Oh sure, no argument there. As mammals, we all have a taste for milk. The original Babyfood… I think we all live our lives as mammals with our milkteeth, one hand on the teet. I still like a bit of gerber mixed cereal wioth some milk and sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/36 "2011-04-23T03:01:22Z")
Forget BGH vs. non-BGH for a minute. My question is, is Canadian milk UHT? UHT milk is pastuerized at a higher temperature to make it more shelf-stable than the original method. That’s why **Mahaloth** ’s Chinese milk wasn’t refrigerated. However, UHT milk does have a slight but noticeable difference in taste, and in the U.S. it’s pretty much only used in single serving boxes of chocolate milk (obviously the chocolate flavoring masks the taste difference.) If that isn’t what you’re experiencing, try 1% milk. Less fat, but not skim. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/37 "2011-04-23T03:44:03Z")
AFAIK, most milk isn’t UHT, unless you seek out a brand like Parmalat that’s made specifically to be stored unrefrigerated. It tastes kind of different than the typical heat pasteurization process. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/38 "2011-04-23T03:50:24Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Forget BGH vs. non-BGH for a minute. My question is, is Canadian milk UHT? > > UHT milk is pastuerized at a higher temperature to make it more shelf-stable than the original method. That’s why **Mahaloth** ’s Chinese milk wasn’t refrigerated. However, UHT milk does have a slight but noticeable difference in taste, and in the U.S. it’s pretty much only used in single serving boxes of chocolate milk (obviously the chocolate flavoring masks the taste difference.) > > If that isn’t what you’re experiencing, try 1% milk. Less fat, but not skim. Nope. It’s refrigerated. Theres some UHT chocolate milk that comes in juice box style tetra packs, but those are the exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/39 "2011-04-23T04:28:42Z")
Well, then the question is, where does Florida Milk… or publix milke come from. With refrigerated trucks running on daily routes, where is the distribution point. Where is the dairy located. Is it from near or far. “Florida” Milk might not come from Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129/40 "2011-04-23T13:33:29Z")
Florida milk most definitely comes from Florida. [ > [@](#): > > Florida is home to about 139 dairy farms that comprise wide open green pastures. We have 118,000 dairy cows in Florida that produce 253 million gallons of fresh milk each year. ]([http://www.floridamilk.com/dairy/dairy-farming/](http://www.floridamilk.com/dairy/dairy-farming/)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milk-in-the-u-s-florida-specifically/579129.md?page=3)