Consumer Reports' Errors on Milk Labeling
Monsanto‘s Posilac brand dairy product was acquired by Eli Lilly in 2008. Given the long association of Monsanto with this product – its development, approval and commercialization –relevant articles will continue to be posted on our Web Page. Information on the acquisition by Eli Lilly can be found at http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=629 and http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=647
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In the Viewpoint section of Consumer Reports’ July 2008 edition, the author misrepresented several aspects of Monsanto’s involvement in the dairy industry, including milk labeling, cow health and consumer health.
The article addressed efforts by dairy farmers, Monsanto and other to pass legislation about labeling of milk from cows that have not been treated with our rBST product, Posilac. The article claims these efforts are to “prohibit dairies from labeling their milk rbGH free” or imposing labeling requirements that would be difficult to meet.
This description of our efforts is completely inaccurate. Monsanto is not fighting to prevent labeling or to make milk labeling difficult. We are not against the accurate labeling of milk – even when it is labeled to state that our product has not been used. We are simply trying to ensure that where such labeling is used, that it is accurate and does not mislead consumers or disparage our product.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published guidelines designed to ensure that rBST-free labeling is not misleading. Unfortunately, these guidelines have been widely ignored. In an effort to profit from unfounded fears, many milk processors use labels that suggest milk from cows treated with rBST is harmful, or somehow different from milk from untreated cows. According to FDA, to state or imply this is false and misleading.
This is the basis for our labeling efforts. It is a simple matter of honesty in labeling.
Additionally, the article claims that the use of rbST increases “udder infection”, known as mastitis, in cows and the levels of IGF-1 in humans. Our Posilac customers depend on the well-being of their dairy cows to make a living and must maintain healthy, productive herds in order to run a successful business. The FDA determined after a thorough review, including a two-year study in 28 herds of cows that rbST is safe for dairy cows. In addition, a published study by two Cornell University researchers has indicated that cows supplemented with rbST stay as healthy and remain in herds as long as cows in non-supplemented herds.
Lastly, there is no difference in milk from cows supplemented with Posilac and milk from cows that have not received Posilac. All milk and all people have IGF-1. IGF-1 is a protein that promotes growth and repair of major tissues and occurs naturally in humans in much higher levels than is found in cow’s milk. In fact, a person would need to drink 400 8-oz glasses of milk in a single day to equal the amount already secreted naturally within the human body.
The bottom line there is no scientific evidence that would indicate that milk from cows treated with rbST requires any different labeling than milk from untreated cows. Such labeling is simply a marketing tool. Marketing tools can’t be allowed to mislead consumers.
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