FDA clears Fallon dairies

CARSON CITY -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration tests have shown that there are no health concerns for human consumption of milk from dairies in the Fallon area, Gov. Jim Gibbons said Monday.

Earlier tests had shown that drinking water wells around Fallon, 60 miles east of Reno, contained radioactive polonium-25. That prompted two dairy farms to dump milk on Friday.

"I am glad that today's test results literally put them back into business as well as reassuring Nevadans that our milk has been safe all along," said Mendy Elliott, who as state Business and Industry Division chief oversees the state Dairy Commission.

Officials from Sorensen's Dairy and Oasis Dairy said last week that they were dumping milk and would stop sales pending outcome of the FDA tests.