Monsanto Declares War on 'rBGH-free' Dairies

by the Organic Consumers Association
April 3, 2007

Straight to the Source
[Download Monsanto's Announcement]

Web Note: Monsanto issued a lie filled press release today formally asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to punish dairies that label their milk "rBGH-free" (See Below). Monsanto has a long history of trying to intimidate independent-minded dairies and bottlers who do not want use their dangerous growth hormones.

We believe that Monsanto feels threatened by increasing consumer demand for rBGH-free milk, the increasing number of dairies that label milk "rBGH-free", and the increasing number of farmer who have rejected rBGH, and is attempting to use the Federal Government as tool of intimidation.

Learn more and Take Action at OCA's Millions Against Monsanto Campaign page

For a full account of the harmful affects of rBGH, see What's In Your Milk? by Dr. Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

FEDERAL AGENCIES ADVISED OF MISLEADING MILK LABELS AND ADVERTISING
More than 500 interested parties join Monsanto to ask FDA and FTC to focus on companies that use deceptive milk labels and ads

ST LOUIS (April 3, 2007) - Monsanto Company announced today that letters from more than 500 concerned individuals and Monsanto have been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting action to stop deceptive milk labeling and advertising. The two letters outline how certain milk labels and promotions that differentiate milk based on farmer use of POSILAC bovine somatotropin (bST) are misleading to consumers and do not meet the standards set by laws and regulations for either the Federal Trade Commission or the Food and Drug Administration.

"The people who signed these letters are dairy producers, industry professionals and consumers from across the country who have expressed concerns about specific labels they find to be false or misleading," said Kevin Holloway, president of Monsanto Dairy Business. "In many cases, they came to Monsanto to find out what could be done about milk marketing tactics that disparage milk and deny farmers a choice in using approved technologies. We believe FDA and FTC are the correct agencies to address the matter with the companies who employ misleading labels or promotions."

The letter to the FDA highlights deceptive milk labels and calls for clear guidance and enforcement by FDA to address labeling that disparages milk from cows supplemented with POSILAC. The letter to the FTC outlines deceptive advertising and milk promotions that mislead consumers and requests FTC begin an investigation into the challenged practices.

Specific examples of misleading labels and ads are cited and attached to the letters. Letters and attachments are available at www.monsanto.com/posilac/letters. Monsanto submitted the first set of signed letters on behalf of all who signed them in February and continues to compile additional letters as dairy producers and others sign them.

"This is of great concern to dairy producers" said Dennis Areias, a Los Banos, Calif., dairy producer who signed the letters. "Deceptive labels suggest to consumers that there is something wrong with the milk they have been drinking for the past 13 years. Even though the companies that print these labels know this is not true, they choose to mislead consumers in an effort to charge more money for the same milk."

FDA conducted a thorough review of POSILAC before approving the product in 1993 and determined milk from supplemented cows to be the same as milk from non-supplemented cows. In a recent study, lab analysis of 95 different brands of retail milk purchased in 48 states confirmed all milk naturally contains the same hormones. There was no difference in hormone content of retail milk based on label claims regarding the use of POSILAC. The findings of the study, conducted by Monsanto with third-party testing facilities and an independent auditing firm, reinforce that milk marketing claims differentiating milk based on the use of POSILAC are meaningless.

"Deceptive labels and ads are not only damaging to dairy producers who are forced to give up technology that helps them make a living, they hurt consumers" said John Vrieze, an Emerald, Wisc., dairy producer who also signed the letters to the FDA and FTC.

"The misleading language clearly aims to scare people into paying more for the same milk. These ill-gotten gains are not shared with farmers and shame on us if we would seek to profit by disparaging the image of milk that we have invested heavily in promoting as a safe, healthy product."

POSILAC is an FDA-approved supplement used by U.S. dairy farmers to increase productivity. Since it was first sold in 1994, POSILAC has become one of the leading dairy animal supplements in the United States.

Supplementing dairy cows with POSILAC safely enhances milk production and serves as an important tool to help farmers with herds of all sizes produce more milk per cow. Cows supplemented with POSILAC produce an average of 10 lb. more milk per day.

Monsanto Company is a leading provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.

Organic Consumers Association - 6771 South Silver Hill Drive, Finland MN 55603

Blogger's note: see also Got rbST in Your Milk? and rBGH Revisited