Who doesn't love Ben & Jerry's ice cream? It always tastes amazing, has those cute funny little names, and made with all natural ingredients like soy, sugar, egg yolks, coconut oil, and breast milk. WHAT?! Breast milk!?!? Well, not yet, but that is what PETA is suggesting.
Apparently PETA (People for the Ethical Treating of Animals) sent a letter over to the company and founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield this week telling them cow's milk is hazardous and that milking cows is cruel. PETA is asking the ice cream company to begin using breast milk in its ingredient instead of cow's milk; claiming that it would reduce the suffering of cows and calves and give ice cream lovers a healthier product.Okay, now for all of you right now reading this with your eyes the sizes of dinner plates, mouth
open in shock... simply take deep breaths, think of a happy place, and have no worries, because Ben & Jerry are in no hurry to make this kind of moooooove. Apparently, they don't like the idea of breast milk on tap. So, have no fear, Chunky Monkey will stay breast milk free (wow, I never thought I would say that)... cause honestly, who wants to read on the ingredient label: Sugar, egg yolks, creme, and Helen Smith from Omaha, Nebraska. That just doesn't sound tasty..
I have to admit something here though, what is PETA thinking! Seriously! I mean, don't get me wrong... I think it is great to keep animals safe, but honestly PETA... don't you think you have gone too far, especially saying that, "milking cows is cruel"? I wonder how many of them have seen how irritated/painful a cow gets when it hasn't gotten milked. I don't know about you all, but I breast fed and I know how I felt when I didn't nurse.... it was not pleasant and stained a lot of bras.This whole thing just makes me wonder how far some people go or loose their way. I am all for
people making sure animals a treated right. I am an animal lover and don't understand how some people could purposely hurt such sweet things, but this thing is a joke. If PETA doesn't wants us to eat cows and doesn't want us to drink from cows, then what do they want us to do with them? If they don't have a purpose, why would we need so many? Honestly... if cows don't have a need, they would loose their numbers and could really go extinct and that would not cause a problem, cause seriously, they aren't really much good for anything else. In fact, the environmentalists could then argue that cows serve no purpose and say they give off too much methane with all their fartin' and need to go because they are destroying the o-zone layer (wait, do we still care about the o-zone layer?). Then next thing you know Hollywood stars are THEN going to be popping up everywhere saying "Screw the whales, save the cows!".
So, how far it too far? Has PETA crossed a very disgusting line, or opened a new door for animal safety, or proven that they won't be happy till we stop eating animals and embrace cannibalism? But all joking aside, I think it is good that PETA looks out for animals, tries to keep laws about meat production companies, and cruelty. I can understand why some people aren't comfortable with hunting, are vegetarians, or have 20 cats, but I don't get how someone could honestly suggest that I start feeding my family breast milk ice cream. I mean, I know that men are all fans of the boobies, but I don't think they had something like THAT in mind.Tell me what you think. Do you like the idea of giving cows the pink slip and start pumping the mommies?
I think the PETA people are just trying to make a point - and talking about breast milk from humans certainly got us talking about it!
ReplyDeleteAs a nursing mom, I get a little weirded out by the idea of cows milk sometimes - it is, truly, the breastmilk of another species, for their babies. I did, however, drink a big glass of it with dinner last night.
While I don't advocate mass-producing food with breastmilk, I do think we could take another look at how the cows are treated. And while you make a good point about the cows needing the relief of being pumped.... did you know that dairy cows are forced to get pregnant by artificial insemination, then they take the baby cows away and separate them, giving them "milk replacement" so they can pump the cow and get the "first milk" aka colostrum which sells at a much higher rate on the market... The baby cows never nurse from their mommas ---
at least that's how my brother - the farmer - explained it to me.
So... when I think of it that way, I'm actually sad for the cows and their babies. As a mom. Who gives my milk only to my baby.
I'm alternating between disbelief and laughter. Seriously, is PETA more worried about milking animals than milking human beings??
ReplyDeleteIf I had to eat milk made with breast milk, it better be my OWN breastmilk. It's one thing to drink a cow's milk, but I don't want to drink Mary Jane Smith's milk! Ew! That's even MORE weird than drinking an animal's milk!
A couple weeks ago, I asked my husband, "I wonder why we drink animal milk, and not human milk. Since we ARE humans. Why don't we drink our own?" And he was like "That's gross!"
Well, my babies never thought it was gross!
Hmmm.....I was never a Ben & Jerry's fan anyway. But I guess when I go to the local ice cream joints, I'd better ask them to specify what kind of milk they are using!
My SIL just mentioned this to me the other day. I let out a huge laugh. Really, do cows get hurt by being milked? I'm not sure, were I am in agreement with you on how PETA does do some good, this is a little overboard. Why don't they suggest Soy milk?
ReplyDeleteWhatever☺
I LOVE Ben & Jerry's. Not too fond of drinking another woman's breast milk though. I think if cows are being mistreated while they are milked than I applaud Peta for taking a stand. When Peta thinks it would be better for human women to be mass milked so I can enjoy my cookie dough ice cream that is where I draw the line. I differ a lot with Peta, I don't think myself and a cow are on the same level, call me arrogant if you want to. I think if Peta didn't come up with these off the wall ideas people would take them more seriously.
ReplyDeleteI think they are a bunch of nut jobs. A lot of animal rights groups would like nothing more than to see the extinction of the human race so that all other animals can be considered "safe". PETA thinks that you having a cat as a pet is oppressive of that cat's rights. They have a very high kill rate at their animal shelters because they would rather kill the pet than see it enslaved. So much for truly caring for animals.
ReplyDeleteOh good grief...this post cracked me up in many way. The first being that your hilarious, the second that PETA would even SUGGEST a thing. The first thought in my mind was I don't know whether Betsy Jones's breastmilk is sanitary. What if she had aids? What if she had genital herpes or a stomach virus? I'm sure PETA would argue that there would be safety measures in place, but we see how the slip up was with salmonella. UGH. Makes me want to BARF that people can get so into something. God put the animals here for us. They were for us to eat. I don't like cruelty and such, but hunting, and other things to that nature are perfectly fine. And to you PETA, don't force your opinions on an unmilked cow until you've been one yourself!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Sure, let's protect the cows and start milking the mommies.
ReplyDeleteNOT!
Wow...I'm surprised. I generally think that PETA goes too far anyway, but that's just crazy. I'm with you, I don't think cows are unhappy when they get milked. I think that many PETA people have their hearts in the right place, but they often go about getting their ideas heard in ludicrous and sometimes inappropriate ways.
ReplyDeleteOk, I breastfed all 3 of my boys and would do it all over again. But I'm having this mental image of a room full of women hooked up to industrial strength pumps to make ice cream for complete strangers. Wierd. I don't think I could eat anything made with someone else's breastmilk either. Blech.
ReplyDeleteIf my mouth wasn't still hanging open I would comment more in-depth.
ReplyDeleteI think PETA is made up of a bunch of morons (Pam Anderson is their spokesperson- 'nuff said) if you want to know the truth. Do you know what happens to a cow that is not milked? Not only is it painful for them, they can die! They can get terrible infections from not being milked (even not being milked on time can cause problems). They have to be milked. Shall we just dump the milk?
ReplyDeleteIdiots.
This is the first time I've visited your blog. I am laughing my head off at PETAs idea. I have always thought they take things a little too far. Animals are special and important and need to be treated kindly, but come on! That request is over the top. There is a tiny sick part of me that is thinking, wow, breast milk in ice cream would provide a lot of jobs for nursing moms. Probably about the same as donating plasma! Ew! (Kidding of course) haha
ReplyDeleteI thought PETA stood for People for the Eating of Tasty Animals? :-)
ReplyDeleteWouldn't milking women just mistreat the women who would be providing the milk?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I have this weird feeling that if we started to drink each others' milk, some dangerous disease would outbreak, and we would all turn into mutants or something.
Breast milk on tap, you crack me up!
ReplyDeletethat was a very comical post. I only care a bit about being green or a bit about treatment of animals. You know just a bit so its "normal' and correct. And it would all taste weird if the mom lived on chocolate or say italian or mexican food. we would end up with jalopeno (sp) ice cream. hehe
ReplyDeleteThe bad thing about PETA is that they are not nearly as good at helping animals as they are at creating sensational stories. They certainly don't want anyone knowing how much money they spend on marketing versus how much money they spend on saving animals...
ReplyDeleteThis idea is ludicrous and was simply a marketing ploy - PETA wants everyone to know who they are so they do outlandish things like this and like painting almost naked women up like animals and locking them up in cages on the street...
Would it be less cruel to strap a bunch of women to a machine to milk them? That is really so silly.
ReplyDeleteWhat will they come up with next!
ReplyDeleteI thought this was utterly (get it, lol) ridiculous when I read it and I still do. I love my girlfriends as much as anyone else, but I STILL don't want to drink their booby milk in my Chunky Monkey! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is was the craziest thing I have heard/read. Cows have been milked since Jesus walked the earth. I honestly don't see why He would have created an animal that could benefit humans if they were not intended to be milked or even eaten. Come on PETA!! Sometimes I think they just sit around and say, "What kind of stuff can we make up today to get people talking?"
ReplyDeleteI am hoping that this is along the lines of Swift's "A Modest Proposal," where he suggested we eat toddlers and babies in order to solve poverty and hunger issues. I'm sure it has to be, since we can all see the ethical and logistical problems associated with such an outrageous plan. That being said, there is something that people do need to understand about cow milk. When you buy milk at the grocer, it doesn't come from farmer Joe's cow bessy that just had a calf and REALLY needs to be milked, or it would be in a lot of pain. Usually these cows are pumped full of hormones (which cannot be good for us to be drinking) and then milked to the point where there is a significant amount of puss coming out along with the milk you are drinking. I have nothing against drinking milk from organic, small family farms, but I don't agree with how the huge factory farms treat their animals. I am vegetarian and try to be vegan as much as possible, and I have to say my body is so much healthier without all the animal products in it. But it is such a personal choice, I hate to see PETA or anyone else demonize people who enjoy a good milkshake or the occasional hamburger.
ReplyDeleteall i have to say is that my diet would suddenly be easier to follow! :-) no breast milk ice cream for me...
ReplyDeleteUm, gross. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about all the suffering that would cause to nursing moms??? Like pumping is so fab?
I hosted a luncheon at my house today. I printed out this post and read it to them. We were laughing SOOOO hard. Thanks for helping me entertain my guests.
ReplyDeleteI just wnat to thank everyone who has been really nice about this all. I know some people can get heated/offended about issues and thank you, you all, for keeping the comments nice and open minded about everyone.
ReplyDeleteI'd think not nursing a cow would be crueler. I know I am in pain if engorged ;)
ReplyDeletePETA had good points in the beginning...now I think they may have gone nuts :0
I found this very amusing! Doesn't PETA know anything about cows?? I'm no expert by any means just because I grew up in IL. But, if you don't milk a cow it causes a GREAT deal of pain. Isn't that counter-productive for what they try to do?? So whatever pain a cow goes through being milked (which doesn't appear to be any), they would prefer a human go through the pain?? Are they going to be supplying the breastmilk?
ReplyDeleteSeriosly, I think that PETA went off the deep end on this one. Obviously into a big vat of breastmilk!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....COWS HAVE TO BE MILKED. THEY SUFFER MASTITIS...HAVE PAINFUL UTTERS AND THEY HAVE TO BE MILKED OR THEY COULD DIE. You are going to kill the poor cows, PETA! THAT IS WHAT COWS ARE HERE FOR...TO BE MILKED. Cows don't suffer from being milked, they benefit from it.
ReplyDeleteI think breastfeeding babies is great..if you can do it, good for you. I was unable to do it but I tried at least with both of my children. I have a friend that is STILL breastfeeding her 3 YEAR OLD AND HAS A 6 YEAR OLD THAT STILL WANTS TO NURSE. GIVE ME A BREAK. This grosses me out, totally. Never do I want to drink another woman's breastmilk, let alone my own, nor do I wish to have my Ben and Jerry's ruined. Sure, there is pasturization, blah, blah, blah but I do not want any part of it.
Instead of blood banks are they going to set up boob banks? UGH! This is just plain old retarded.
I do think that animals in general could be treated a lot better but I don't want want momma's boob juice in my ice cream treat.
Sorry for the soapbox...I just couldn't help it! And, I know there are a million typos but I couldn't stop myself nor did I feel like proofreading. :)Much love to all and for pete's sake, MILK the COWS, NOT THE MOMMAS!!!
To be honest, I'm more turned off by people's characterizing breastmilk as disgusting and shocking and gross than by PETA's half-baked--albeit effective-- attempt at getting attention.
ReplyDeleteI thought Ben and Jerry's answer was perfect--that human milk's best use is by human babies.
Helen Smith from Nebraska.
ReplyDeleteBest line ever.
Breast milk in ice cream. The thought makes me never want to have ice cream again. Maybe they should do it. My waistline would be thankful.
so it is cruel to milk cows, but not cruel to milk humans? hmmmm?! i'm having a hard time seeing that?! crazies!
ReplyDeletei heard of a lady who produced so much milk that she had a freezer full of the stuff and began using it to make casseroles and substituting it in recipes and took them to potluck's! yummy!! you never know, you may already be consumming someone elses breast milk! that's a happy thought!
Oh goodness. I don't even want to go there!
ReplyDeleteIf it's cruel to pump milk from the cows how do they think they're going to get the breast milk? Not cruel to women? I think this is ridiculous. You almost wonder if maybe it's a joke.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they think cows should be sacred. I don't get it.
Ok, I have been blog stalking for a while now and never left a comment, but this one is too good to let pass by. My husband and I were just out with some friends tonight and this very topic came up. Our friends were in disbelief, as were we when we heard it headline CNN. The comment they made was...I wonder if you could get enough breast milk to make all that ice cream. I nearly fell off my chair with laughter! Our other friend, looked at his 8 week pregnant wife and said, "see that's how you can make some extra money when the baby comes" That one took me off my chair laughing. Guess you have to know we are all starving graduate students who's husbands are going to be veterinarians...so you know our "love" for PETA is oh so much.
ReplyDeleteI imagine PETA sent the letter, not because they seriously want to have Ben and Jerry's use people milk.
ReplyDeleteInstead, that are trying to bring attention to an issue that is important to them. A few I'll take a moment to mention...
- Human milk is for baby humans; Cow's milk is for baby cows
- Humans are the only species that drink the milk of another species
- Cows only give milk after having baby cows. Thus, they are kept pregnant, to provide milk for people, often producing 10 times more than a "normal" cow. I grew up on a farm/ranch and very much under stand what would happen if a cow is not milked, however can you imagine the wear on an animal going through forced pregnancy, and growth hormones(to help produce more milk, which those that consume the milk in turn ingest)
....
I too am fond of the response from Ben and Jerry's, "mother's milk is best used for her child", as it kind of reinforces PETA's cow's milk is best used for baby cows
anyhow, there is a lot of information out there. I don't always agree with the tactics of PETA, however I agree with what they stand for and admire the work they do.
If you are interested in more information on the milk/cow issue, this is a brief, but informative site: http://www.milksucks.com
whatta marketing wizard though, huh?
ReplyDeleteCAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE THE ROOM WHEN IT WAS FIRST SUGGESTED----and then all the slow smiles as the people 'got' that it was, in a way, a marketing stunt?
(and was it PT Barnum who said no publicity is bad publicity?)
a little crazy IMO (even for a stunt) but dang they got people talking!
M.
as you know, I wrote about it on my blog as well as momfo! http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/2008/09/27/ben-and-jerrys-new-flavor-breast-milk-cheesecake-swirl/
ReplyDeletethat is just taking it tooooo far. Eww. I don't want to be milked, I heard breastfeeding the baby is hard enough!
ReplyDeleteHoly Cow! I think Peta is crossing the line! Again I'm all for animals staying safe too but we have been milking cows forever and ever.
ReplyDeleteI was very disturbed when I heard about this. It's way too far. I've never heard a cow complain for being milked.
ReplyDeleteI'm just laughing!!!!
ReplyDeleteI do find it disturbing that people see human breast milk as gross, since it's what we eat when we are born and is made of exactly what we need in order to be healthy and grow.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, as an adult, I wouldn't be interested in my mother's milk anymore, either.
I mean, was it gross for me to donate my breast milk to the NICU in town when I made too much? They do pasteurize it and everything, but still.
I must admit, though, that I would probably never be comfortable feeding my child a fluid from another human's body. Not that it's gross, but because to me breast milk is as personal as the bond between a mother and a baby.
PETA is definitely off its rocker, but that is nothing new. ;)
They're kidding right? It is natural for all mammals to nurse their young. This whole thing has got to be a joke.
ReplyDeletePETA's tactics are getting old. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteI read this article too. Apparently a company in Sweden or somewhere is using breast milk exclusively for making candy or something. I don't even want my OWN milk in my food. I breastfed both my children for 18 months each, but I'm not interested in drinking it myself.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, PETA makes a poitn about how the cows are treated, but we can't stop milking them!!! I got mastitis. I can't iimagine that with 6 nipples. Or however many they have.
I said it on someone else's blog, I prefer my cow's to be treated with MONTREAL STEAK SEASONING and Medium Rare. Also, I prefer my cow's to be milked so I have a use for my Hershey's syrup.
ReplyDeleteCall me unfeeling. Whatever. They are animals and their purpose is for our consumption. Where else would they live. And you know what else? If they did live and roam free, then we would just have hunting season for them, but they'd be super easy to hunt because they aren't fast or elusive. They prefer open fields.
KEEP BELIEVING
Wow. I jusst don't even know what to say.
ReplyDeleteThis was very interesting. I think PETA is crazy!!! And no, I don't think anyone in my family would like ice cream made with breast milk!!!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, loved your picture of Curtis!!!
I'm glad to be back... my internet has been down for a while!!!
Just how stupid are these jerks from PETA anyway? their IQs are far below a chickens or turkeys seeing all the outlandish stunts they pull off all the time and yet theres still some idiots in hollywood who donate to them or do stupid ads for them proving PETA is open to those who IQs rate real low
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled into this posting, and while my point is rather belated to the discussion, with the utmost of respect for you, I encourage you to watch this undercover investigation into an Ohio dairy farm to find out why PETA employs these tactics highlighting the cruelty inherent in dairy products. The abuses documented here are standard practice on dairy farms.
http://www.mercyforanimals.org/ohdairy/
Kindly,
Robyn