Reflections on the Alberta Raw Milk moovement — balancing public policy and fundamental rights

From Michael Schmidt in Edmonton:

Alberta raw milk farmer Eric Pudlow. Photo Michael Schmidt

As we slowly move towards a resolution in the Alberta Cow Share court drama it becomes once again obvious that there is a dangerous disconnect between public policy makers and those  demanding food sovereignty or basic food rights.

Genetically modified cows produce milk closer in composition to human milk

From Science Correspondent Richard Gray at The Telegraph (a U.K. paper):

Scientists have created genetically modified cattle that produce “human” milk in a bid to make cows’ milk more nutritious.

The scientists have successfully introduced human genes into 300 dairy cows to produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk.

Human milk contains high quantities of key nutrients that can help to boost the immune system of babies and reduce the risk of infections.

The scientists behind the research believe milk from herds of genetically modified cows could provide an alternative to human breast milk and formula milk for babies, which is often criticised as being an inferior substitute.

They hope genetically modified dairy products from herds of similar cows could be sold in supermarkets. The research has the backing of a major biotechnology company.

Human breast milk sharing — Toronto Star lead story says “A Toronto study will… look at ways to pasteurize human breast milk without losing nutrients.”

Now if that isn’t an acknowledgement that you usually DO lose nutrients when pasteurizing, I don’t know what is. From the front page of today’s Toronto Star, from a story titled “Donor breast milk is greatest gift for sick babies“, or, in the print edition “I am forever grateful”:

Toronto Star photo via parentcentral.ca

“When Melissa Amer dreamed of motherhood, she always pictured herself breastfeeding.

But after daughters Billie and Isabella were born at 30 weeks, doctors at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre whisked the tiny babies away and hooked them up to tubes and machines. Their first food, a bag of liquid nutrients, was delivered by IV.