A2 Milk Hits America

Early last year I posted A2 Milk Claims Unproven.

In it I talked about A2 milk, which is milk that contains more of the A2 beta casein protein. The milk comes from cows that naturally produce more of this particular protein because of a tiny mutation in amino acid linkage. A2 milk was sweeping Australia and New Zealand, because of the staggering health claims people were making for it. (Well, I was sure staggered that people would make these claims.)

Those claims included a significantly lower incidence of childhood diabetes and coronary heart disease.

The one claim that made sense was that A2 milk might lessen allergic reactions from people who had dairy allergies to the casein protein in standard A1 cow's milk. Goat's milk, which indeed can be safe for a number of people with cow's milk protein allergy, has more of the A2 beta casein.

I also said that "Rumors are rife that A2 milk will soon be introduced into the United States and elsewhere outside of New Zealand and Australia, especially since A2 now has a new owner."

It took a while, but that day is here. A2 milk is now being sold in Hy-Vee stores in the midwest.

The a2 Milk website says:

Working hand in hand with our licensee, The Original Foods Company, we are incredibly excited to announce that we have identified and segregated the first a2 Milk™ producing cow herd in the U.S., and The Original Foods Company a2 Milk™ will be available exclusively at Hy-Vee stores throughout the Midwest.


We are very proud to be partnering with The Original Foods Company, whose mission is to produce and distribute natural, premium food products of the highest quality that are unique to the marketplace and can be verified as coming from a specific source.


In line with this mission, The Original Foods Company sources their a2 Milk™ exclusively from the Prairieland Dairy, a family owned farm in Firth, Nebraska.


Prairieland was chosen to have the first a2 Milk™ cow herd in the United States because the a2 producing cows at Prairieland are not given rbST† or other artificial hormones to stimulate milk production and a nutritionist regularly prepares the optimum feed ration for the cows, and ample fresh water is always provided.


Whether you are satisfied with your current milk, or are a milk lover who has been disappointed by other milks, we think you’ll enjoy the unique qualities of a2 Protein Certified™ a2 Milk™.

They are soliciting comments on the milk at their website. And so am I. If you have a dairy allergy and try A2 milk, please let me know your experiences.