Breast Milk In Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream?

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Waterbury, VT - PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) wrote to the makers of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, asking them to substitute breast milk for the cow's milk they currently use now. However, PETA's request is drawing fire from the company's customers as well as the La Leche League International, who promotes breast feeding for babies of the human kind.

The letter told Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of the well-known ice cream, that cow’s milk is hazardous and that milking them is cruel. Tracy Reiman, executive vice president of the animal rights advocacy group wrote,

"If Ben and Jerry’s replaced the cow’s milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers — and cows — would reap the benefits."

Ben and Jerry's spokesman Sean Greenwood reponded in an email saying,

"We applaud PETA’s novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother’s milk is best used for her child."

Campaign coordinator for PETA, Ashley Byrne realizes that it's unrealistic to attempt to try and replace cow's milk with breast milk.

"We’re aware this idea is somewhat absurd, and that putting it into practice is a stretch. At the time same, it’s pretty absurd for us to be drinking the milk of cows," she said.

La Leche spokeswoman Jane Crouse told John Curran of the Associated Press that breast milk is a dynamic substance that’s different with each woman and each child and might have difficulty being processed into ice cream.

And who would be willing to provide breast milk? Crouse replied,

"Some women feel compelled to donate milk to a milk bank for adopted babies, or for someone who’s ill or unable to breast feed. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence about sisters who nurse each others’ babies. There’s a population of women very willing to share their milk. Whether there’s enough to do it for a commercial entity, who can say?"

Ice cream made with breast milk anyone?