| RBGH-free Labels Become Sticky Issue for States |
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| Written by Kiki Hubbard | |
| Thursday, 07 February 2008 | |
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If you're one of a growing number of people who look for labels on dairy products that characterize them as "rBGH-free" or "contains no artificial hormones," then buyer beware: these labels may be at risk in your state. The Monsanto Company – manufacturer of Posilac, also known as recombinant bovine growth hormone or recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) – calls these labels confusing to consumers, and convinced Pennsylvania agriculture secretary Dennis Wolff to ban the so-called "absence labels" in the state. (It makes you wonder if consumers are also confused by: "No MSG," "No Trans Fats," "No Artificial Flavors," and so on.) Thanks to organizing efforts by consumer groups concerned about food safety, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture reversed its decision in November 2007, about a month before the ban was to be implemented.
Case closed? Not quite. Pennsylvania is just one battleground in Monsanto's attempt to pull these labels in a number of states.
The biotechnology firm has been involved in forming a front group called American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology (AFACT), according to Rick North, Project Director for Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility. Operating out of a public relations firm in Colorado, the group has encouraged state departments of agriculture and state legislators to adopt bans on rBGH-free labels.
And Monsanto hasn’t just been cajoling politicians. Since 1994, the year rBGH entered the market, Monsanto has sued several small dairies for using hormone-free labels. Even though a recent poll commissioned by Food & Water Watch found 80 percent of consumers want "rBGH-free" labels, it is clear that Monsanto is determined to use a variety of tactics to control marketing and conceal the presence of its products in U.S. food. (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the European Union all prohibit the use of rBGH.)
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It's true what our moms said...we are what we eat. In fact, it's truer than they thought. What I eat doesn't just affect me anymore, it affects all of us.
Unfortunately, the story of food can sometimes be complicated. But envirovores help each other out...which is why this blog will be bringing you news, tips, and information about food and the environment every step of the way.
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