Letter to the Editor: Peace of mind when enjoying healthy dairy products

To the Editor:

As a parent and consumer, safe food practices are important to me. We have a family of five that eats and drinks dairy products at every meal of the day, and sometimes we drink a whole gallon of milk during one sitting. I’m proud to say I grew up on an Iowa dairy farm, and because of those experiences, I want to give others a view of how a dairy farmer ensures they produce a safe product.

Taking care of dairy cattle has its ups and downs. When cattle get sick, it’s no different if you or I get sick. I take my children to the doctor and follow a doctor’s recommendations for the course of treatment to get them healthy. Likewise, when we had sick cattle, we had a veterinarian visit the farm and follow their suggestion for treatment.

Also, as humans there are times when we are sick and need antibiotics to help us get healthy. The same goes for our favorite pet and yes, livestock.

Before milk is delivered to the processing plant, it is tested to ensure no antibiotics are present. I remember growing up milking cows, and we had to dump a few tanks of milk due to antibiotic residue. Although disheartening, it was an easy decision to make to dump a tank of milk because dairy farmers value consumer concerns and health.

As a parent I know that it is the responsible thing to do to ensure that we were giving people a safe product.

So, please know when you’re at the grocery store - whether or not your milk has an “antibiotic-free” claim on it - that because of this process all milk products are antibiotic-free. If you have questions, I’d encourage you to please reach out to myself or a local dairy farmer. We want you to feel peace of mind while your family enjoys healthy dairy products.

Melissa Wedo
Monona