A recent nationwide survey conducted on behalf of Farmland Dairies found that for consumers, rBST- and antibiotic-free milk trumps even organic products.

The survey, run by custom market research firm Harris Interactive, discovered that more than four in five (84 percent) adults believe that a milk product designated "organic" isn't necessarily a better choice. Further, two in three milk drinkers said they think non-organic milk with no artificial hormones and antibiotics is just as healthy as organic milk.

Only about one in five milk drinkers said it's important or very important that they drink organic milk. Instead, milk drinkers are more liable to seek out milk that's free of artificial hormones and/or antibiotics.

The study also found:

--Almost nine in 10 U.S. adults, or 89 percent, drink milk. Fifty-three percent of milk drinkers prefer low-fat milk, and 12 percent drink organic milk. Additionally, 29 percent drink skim milk, but 72 percent wish it had a less watered-down taste.

-- Good taste is important or very important to 92 percent of milk drinkers when it comes to choosing what type of milk to drink.

Harris fielded the survey online within the United States, among 2,128 adults ages 18 and older, 1,903 of whom drink milk.

Wallington, N.J.-based Farmland Dairies manufactures Special Request Skim Plus dairy products, the No. 1 selling fortified milk in the New York metropolitan area. Its products, which are sold in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia and Florida, are 100 percent rBST-free.