Milk: Good, bad, or ugly?

1. Brainstorm: What do you already know about the dairy industry? Who disagrees about it? Jot down your thoughts so that you have a place to start when you do your research. You may identify your two sides as "pro-milk" and "against milk" for simplicity. Keep in mind that not every person may agree or disagree with every component of the dairy industry even if they are "pro-" or "against" the dairy industry. This excercise is intended to expose you to the basics of the debate.

2. Prepare: Use a search engine encyclopedia to define the following terms if you do not understand them: antibiotic, rBST, bovine, animal welfare, animal rights, cholesterol, tail docking, milking parlor, silage, rumen, lactation, mastitis, calving, hormone, phosphorus, nitrogen. 

3. Research: Look at the resources provided on this page and take notes on the basic ideas from each of them. Some project opinions; others may seem merely informational. It is up to you to identify bias or find information and visualize how someone could use it to support an argument.

4. Summarize: As you gather information, form at least one or two points supporting EACH side for all of the following topics: milk's nutritional value,  milk's safety for consumers, milk production's effect on the health/welfare of the cow, milk production's effect on the environment.

5. Share: You will present your findings later to the class, so once you finish your list of "pros and cons", organize it and make any notes you will need to help you share it clearly with your peers in a discussion.