Dear Lactnet Colleagues,

The Mayor of Newark has not cancelled his program with Nestle and has the blessing from the New Jersey Health Commissioner to continue with it. (I gave her a week to rethink her remarks before posting but have heard nothing).   We need your suggestions!! The letter below is long but passionate and from the heart. Click on the x to see photo of the Mayor. By allowing the Newark and Michigan partnerships (with Nestle) to continue is to set a precedent. Do you want to see this happen?  If not, what can you do?  

Renee (in Vancouver)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Renee Hefti 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Cc: [log in to unmask] ; [log in to unmask] ; Elizabeth Ben-Ishai ; Labbok, Miriam ; Peggy O'Mara ; [log in to unmask] ; Alison Linnecar ; IBFAN Penang ; Patti Rundall ; Robert James Parsons ; [log in to unmask] ; [log in to unmask] ; Leah Margulies ; [log in to unmask] ; Mike Brady ; [log in to unmask] ; [log in to unmask] ; Jean Walker ; [log in to unmask] ; [log in to unmask] 


Dear Mary Beth,

This email is a follow-up to the phone message I just left you. I understand you are an assistant to the Surgeon General and, in your capacity, you brief her on breastfeeding issues. Please pass this email onto her.  It needs immediate attention.

In the last 3 1/2 months we have written many times to the Surgeon General about Nestle partnering with US cities and states, (under the guise of targeting childhood obesity) but have had no response. 

Since February, Mayor Booker of Newark, despite an outcry from more than 50 countries, refuses to cancel his partnership with Nestle. For $100,000.00 and a "free" program, Nestle bought the right to "educate" women and families, (for a minimum of 2 years), about breastfeeding and nutrition (at all 15 of the Family Success Centers). What he is doing is in complete disregard to the Surgeon General's 2011 Call to Action to Protect, Promote and Support Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes endorsed by the US Government.

The Mayor is a politician. What does he know about health? Who is he responsible to?  Among other people, (including the NJ Governor - who has never responded) we have been writing to NJ Commissioner Mary E.O'Dowd, Department of Health and Senior Services. 

Last week we finally got a response from the  NJ Assistant Health Commissioner, Gloria M. Rodriguez. Commissioner Rodriquez calls Nestlé's $100,000.00 and "free" program a, "donation to the City of Newark to fight childhood obesity". And she goes on to say, "The Commissioner therefore, cannot direct the Mayor to break his partnership with Nestle, as you have requested".



A DONATION??? The Mayor is filmed accepting Nestlé's check in front of a background of Nestle logos and yes, "donations" of "free" formula (the ads pop up on their press release). But of course these "freebies" will end once Nestle undermines women's confidence and their milk dries up. How can US health decision makers call something that is well known to make babies obese and sick and increase health care costs a "donation"? If spinach makes people sick, does the government announce this and then let the "spinach company" offer money and provide a "free" program  so they can continue to promote their unhealthy spinach?

Many people know (well maybe politicians are ignorant of the importance of breastfeeding) that Nestlé's program is nothing more than a marketing tactic to promote their formula and baby foods. Surely the marketing of formula falls in a different category than the marketing claims of anti-wrinkle cream?  Every health decision maker in the US knows that formula is well-documented as one of the leading causes of childhood obesity. The Surgeon General states (in her 2011 report), "Marketing of infant formula within communities is another negative influence on breastfeeding".  So now what ... ?  

Who is going to do something about what is happening or are the people at the top just going to sit by and watch? Is it fair to encourage women to breastfeed and then allow the formula companies to do and say whatever they please, with the blessing of the health authorities, and at city's Family Success Centers? And aren't there any decision makers who care how very wrong it is to applaud the Mayor for accepting Nestlé's "donation" of money and program to promote formula? THIS IS A HEALTH ISSUE, CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND AN ETHICAL ISSUE! 

 As well as partnering with Newark, Nestle have also partnered with the State of Michigan. Governor Snyder is allowing Nestle to "educate" in medical schools, hospitals and communities. 

 The Governor of Michigan is enamored with Nestle and in a letter I received last week the Governor states, "the study that helped kick-start this initiative began with Nestle Nutrition.  ...  the Nestle study indicates that breastfeeding is best... " Of course, anyone worth their salt, knows Nestle always say "breast is best but".... Then Nestle quickly goes on to elaborate on the "buts" which include: "when you don't eat properly, can't make enough, don't want to, your baby is allergic, you baby is prem, your breasts are not the right shape, you have twins, you have to go back to work, your mother couldn't, etc. etc. etc". 

Breastfeeding is a confidence game that Nestle is a master at undermining. As they say their responsibility is to their investors. 

Nestle has hired a new nutrition grad to develop their program for Newark and has hired new nutrition grads to "educate" about breastfeeding for the Newark / Nestle partnership.  Are you unaware, as I was until recently, that learning anything about managing breastfeeding is not part of the nutrition curriculum?  Students are taught that breast is best and the diet a breastfeeding mother should eat but once Nestle hires them, they are "fed" all Nestlé's "buts" and become formula reps (with Nestlé's many perks if they are good salespersons).  Nestlé's job descriptions for Newark state, "promote Gerber, (Nestle has bought out Gerber) formula and protect Nestlé's name". 

Why are intelligent people, supposedly interested in health, so willing to just watch what Nestle is doing?  Once a program is started it becomes ingrained and people think they cannot manage without industry help.  Think no further than the "free" formula hospital contracts and "fee" formula samples at hospital discharge that health professionals are trying to get rid of today.   Haven't we learned "the marketing of  formula lesson" years ago? 

What Nestle is attempting so far, (they have promised to take their program to other cities and states), has slipped in under the radar and may be the tip of the iceberg.  Letters from those of us in the trenches is not going to do it. More than 1,000 letters, a petition with close to 2,500 names and hundreds of negative comments about Nestle from more than 50 countries have been sent to the Mayor of Newark but he refuses to cancel.  I guess he's asking himself why should he? After all the New Jersey Health Commissioner seems to think it is OK.  So I have to ask again, "If not the Governor General, CDC or the Health Commissioner of New Jersey then who?"

 Nestle is a wildfire blazing across the US. Mayors and Governors need strong directives from the top. How much longer are key people going to stand back and say to me?  "thanks for reporting the fire" - "good luck with putting it out but we don't get involved"!  

Renee Hefti - Graham
RN, Lactation Consultant
International Breastfeeding Advocate

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