Monsanto Cries Wolf

Within the past couple of years, dairies across the U.S., including California Dairies Inc., the nation‚ second largest dairy cooperative, have changed their policies to no longer accept milk from cows treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone, also known as rBGH. Citing increased consumer demand for dairy products produced without artificial hormones, other large dairy processors, such as Tillamook Cheese and Ben & Jerry‚ have switched to rBGH-free milk.

The growing demand for artificial hormone-free milk has Monsanto, the biotechnology giant behind rBGH, worried. Recently, the company sent letters to the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission asking them to restrict the practice of labeling milk rBGH-free. Luckily, the FDA and FTC sided with consumers by dismissing this request.

Have we heard the last from Monsanto on this issue? Eighty percent of consumers want rBGH-free milk labeled as such. It is also safe to say that the majority of consumers would want to know if the food they are eating comes from cloned animals or was genetically modified. Monsanto doesnt have a leg to stand on, right? Think again.

Given the recent ban on non-rBGH labels in Pennsylvania, one can assume that Monsanto has a new ally in the state‚ secretary of agriculture, Dennis Wolff. In October, Mr. Wolff decided to crack down on this kind of labeling because he believes ‚it confuses [consumers].” This only makes sense if your mantra is ‚ignorance is bliss.” Luckily, the average consumer believes they have the right to know. For the results of PA consumer vs. Big Ag, stay tuned.