Starbucks Coffee stores in Seattle have stopped using milk products from cows exposed to a bovine growth hormone and all stores nationwide will comply with the ban by the end of this year.

Some companies, to increase the animal's milk production, inject recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, known as rBGH, into dairy cows. According to the Washington D. C. based group Food and Water Watch, there is a potential link between the hormone and a higher risk of breast, prostate and colon cancer in humans. The hormone is already banned in the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Most consumers don't know it is being used or its effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration still allows the use of rBGH, which is found in milk, cheese and yogurt.

The chemical has an adverse affect on animals also. Cows injected with rBGH develop a 50 percent increase in the risk of lameness (leg and hoof problems), a 25 percent increase in udder infections (mastitis) and reproductive problems.

The Hold the Hormones Campaign, organized by the Washington D.C. group Food and Water Watch has been educating the public on the dangers of rBGH.

Starbucks Vice President of Sustainable Procurement, Sue Mecklenburg, sent a letter to Food and Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter recently with this statement: "We have committed that by Dec. 31, 2007, all of our fluid milk, half and half, whipping cream and eggnog used in U.S. company operated stores will be produced without the use of rBGH."

Brandon Borrman, spokesperson for Starbucks said his company announced back in April this year that they were ending the use of rBGH products.

"Our customers asked us to do it so we made this change," Borrman said.

Starbucks has been gradually reducing their use of rBGH milk products. They have gone from 37 percent, 51 percent and now 72 percent of their stores ending the use of rBGH products.

Erin Greenfield, communications associate for to Food and Water Watch said her group has been staging events across the country to educate the public through the Hold the Hormones Campaign and the community is responding.

"We are raising awareness about it. Awareness has gone up," said Jen Mueller, communications coordinator for Food and Water Watch.

On August 24, a Hold the Hormones rally has held at Seattle's Westlake Center with people dressed up as cows and holding signs thanking Starbucks for their decision.

The rally began as a protest. That same day, Starbucks made their official announcement to Food and Water Watch.

"The day of the event, Starbucks pledged to stop. It became more of a party," said Todd Hunsdorser, a member of Sustainable Ballard and an avid coffee drinker. Wearing a cow costume, he held a sign that read "Proud to be rBGH Free."

Dean Wong may be reached at 783.1244 or deanw@robinsonnews.com