The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture backed down today in a dispute over dairy labeling, allowing claims that milk was made from cows not treated with a controversial hormone.

Recombinant bovine growth hormone, also called recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), is injected into cows to increase milk production and is used by about one third of the nation's dairy farmers. In October, state Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff announced that no "absence claims" would be allowed on milk labels, which included that the milk came from cows not treated with rBST.

A strong backlash from consumer and health groups -- who attacked the hormone's controversial history, including side effects like increased udder infections in cows -- as well as from big dairy companies prompted Gov. Ed Rendell to mandate a review of the policy, pushing back its implementation.

Today, Bill Chirdon, director of the bureau of food safety and laboratory services for the department, sent a memo to all milk permit holders in the state with new labeling guidelines, including a reversal on part of the rBST question.

The memo provides strict guidelines for such labeling, banning claims such as "rBST-free" which is misleading because the hormone can't be detected even in milk from cows given the injections.

Labels that pledge farmers do not use the hormone also must be accompanied by a disclaimer such as: "No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows."

"This is a big victory for us," said Michael Hansen, staff scientist with Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine and an organization that has opposed rBST for years.

"This is a 178 degree turn. It's not quite 180 degrees, but virtually all."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.