[gardener]

The following letter to Orin Smith, President and CEO of StarbucksCorporation, from a number of front groups is a good example of the the way these outfits operate. Here they're bringing pressure on a corporation, but they write the same kind of letter to legislators and governmental administrators. I'm posting it here instead of in the milk thread because it seems to fit better here.
...........

Dear Mr. Smith:

We are writing to express concern about your recent announcement
that Starbucks' would begin to serve milk products only from cows
not treated with bovine growth hormone. Your action is unfounded,
and harms consumers and the environment.

In 1994, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop called upon food
retailers to act responsibly in the face of extreme fringe group
attacks on the safety of milk from cows supplemented with
protein-based growth hormones.

Dr. Koop noted responsible companies could "play an important
role by assuring consumers of the safety of the milk supply, by
providing the facts on bovine growth hormone to interested
customers, or by referring them to credible health and nutrition
authorities." Dr. Koop added, "It is necessary to condemn these
attacks on the safety of milk for what they are: baseless,
manipulative and completely irresponsible." A copy of Dr. Koop's
statement is attached.

Starbucks should step up to the plate as a responsible corporate
citizen and meet Dr. Koop's challenge. Consumers deserve choice and
accurate information.

Starbucks' recently responded to the extreme activists' pressure
by noting that you "hope to be able to offer all of our milk
products rBST-free." This suggests you may not continue to offer
the same safe and affordable conventionally produced milk that you
have always provided. We hope this is not true. Please let us know
if it is your intention to provide only certified organic dairy
products, or if you intend to provide both certified organic
alternatives, and the safe and more affordable conventional milk
that you currently provide.

Please do not contribute to the vast misinformation campaigns
being spread by the extreme activists. Milk from cows supplemented
with protein-based growth hormones, which naturally occur in all
cows, is the same safe, nutritious milk. In addition, dairy
producers who use these supplements are maintaining their economic
viability, helping maintain stable, affordable milk for consumers
and protecting the environment.

Unfortunately, increasing your purchase of organic milk will
increase, not decrease environmental burdens.

Dairy producers who use these supplements produce as much as 15
percent more milk with the same number of cows. That translates to
using less water, land and fuel. These producers help reduce waste
streams and soil loss. They do this while maintaining their
economic viability and supporting stable, affordable milk prices
for consumers.

In the U.S. alone, use of these supplements could reduce water
irrigation by 700,000 gallons, save 1.7 million acres of land used
for feed and grain, save 240,000 gallons of fuel, reduce nearly one
million metric tons of manure and reduce 5.3 million tons of soil
loss per year.

Your responsible support for this safe product helps protect
consumers, the environment and family farmers.

Thank you for your consideration and prompt response.

Sincerely,

Steven J. Milloy, Citizens for the Integrity of Science
Elizabeth M. Whelan, American Council on Science and Health
Alex Avery, Center for Global Food Issues
Gregory Conko, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Fran Smith, Consumer Alert
John Carlisle, National Center for Public Policy Analysis

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cc: Dennis Stefanacci, Senior Vice President for Corporate
Social Responsibility
Howard Schultz, Chairman of the Board