REAL CALIFORNIA MILK and REAL CALIFORNIA CHEESE coupon saves money!! realcaliforniamilk.com (check website for printing coupon, may expire)

California continues to be the top dairy producer in the nation and if predictions hold, the emerging Asian/Pacific Rim middle class will buy our milk exports. That's good news for dairy farmers. The U.S. ranks around 17th globally for milk consumption per capita with European and Scandinavian countries leading the list.

Many Americans are concerned about the quality of milk and treatment of dairy cows. According to California Milk Advisory Board, each and every milk tanker is tested for the presence of antibiotics before the milk is allowed to enter the milk processing facility. The milk from a tanker truck which has been accidentally contaminated is discarded and does not enter the human food chain. Additionally, published data states that around 17% of dairy cows are injected with growth hormones to increase their milk production, and even though the FDA doesn't believe the hormones are harmful to humans, U.S. shoppers are beginning to buy milk without this ingredient which appears on the label as rBST or rBGH. Organic milk without these chemical additives generally costs $1-2 more per gallon, sold with the assurance that the cattle were not given hormone shots. The Real California Milk website lists one member, Joseph Gallo Farms of Atwater, as producing cheeses that are "artificial hormone free". If a milk or cheese producer truly is utilizing such standards, you're likely to find it on their website and packaging.