Why are people pouring milk down the drain over a cow feed additive?

Recently, in the UK, a number of social media users have taken to pouring milk down their sinks and toilets. This unusual act is a protest against a new feed additive for cows called Bovaer. The Danish-Swedish company, Arla Foods, which is the largest dairy cooperative in the UK, announced that it would be testing Bovaer on 30 of its farms across the country. According to Arla, this additive, which is mixed into cow feed in small amounts, has the potential to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows by 30 to 45 percent. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change, and cows produce it during the digestion of fibrous foods like grass. The UK regulators have approved Bovaer for use, and several major supermarkets are set to stock milk from cows that consume this feed. However, the announcement has sparked a wave of concern among some consumers. Many have raised questions about the safety of the ingredients in Bovaer. Despite these concerns, experts have reassured the public that the additive does not pose any food safety risks. In response to the trial, some consumers have threatened to boycott products from the supermarkets involved, while numerous farmers have taken to social media to clarify that they do not use Bovaer on their farms. Additionally, unfounded conspiracy theories have emerged online, suggesting that Bovaer is part of a larger 'depopulation' agenda, with some linking it to Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist. The manufacturer, DSM-Firmenich, has firmly denied these claims, stating that Bovaer is completely safe and has undergone extensive testing in various countries. Bovaer works by suppressing the enzymes in a cow's stomach that are responsible for producing methane gas. The National Farmers Union (NFU) has stated that when Bovaer is used as directed, it breaks down in the cow's digestive system and does not appear in milk or meat. According to DSM-Firmenich, Bovaer is available in 68 countries worldwide. As part of the trial, Arla Foods is collaborating with some of the UK's largest supermarkets, including Tesco, Morrisons, and Aldi, to sell products from cows that have been fed the additive. Since the announcement of the trial, a variety of claims and concerns have surfaced online. Among those voicing their worries is Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe, who has called for an urgent review of the additive by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Some dairy farmers have also expressed their refusal to use Bovaer, citing concerns about its ingredients, which include silicon dioxide, propylene glycol, and the organic compound 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP). Major supermarkets like Tesco, Aldi, and Morrisons have all agreed to participate in the trial. Opponents of Bovaer have pointed to a report from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that labeled 3-NOP as potentially corrosive to the eyes and a skin irritant. However, experts have emphasized that no traces of Bovaer or its components will be found in milk or other dairy products, as it is broken down in the cow's stomach. Professor Chris Elliott, a food safety expert from Queens University Belfast, stated that Bovaer has passed numerous regulatory assessments globally and is recognized for its effectiveness in reducing methane emissions without posing any food safety risks. Some critics have also raised concerns that 3-NOP could be carcinogenic, but UK regulators have dismissed these claims, concluding that the additive is not cancer-causing at the recommended usage levels. The FSA has confirmed that milk from cows treated with Bovaer is safe for consumption, and Arla Foods has labeled the safety concerns circulating online as completely false.