Ben & Jerry's Fights for Hormone-Free Labeling

[FormerOstrich]

Good for Ben and Jerry's!!!!! If you don't know me, let me tell ya, I think Monsonto is EVIL or WORSE!

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., one of the first companies to label its ice cream as free of a synthetic hormone, is protesting a move by some states to restrict such labeling.

The South Burlington ice-cream maker has joined a national campaign to block what critics say is an effort driven by Monsanto Co., which markets recombinant bovine somatotropin, or rBST, also known as recombinant bovine growth hormone, or rBGH.

"We're very concerned about, from a primary standpoint, the freedom of speech to be able to put what we believe is truthful and appropriate messaging on our packaging," said Rob Michalak, a spokesman for Ben & Jerry's, which has mounted a campaign to get consumers on its side.

But a newly formed farmers' group, backed by Monsanto, is pushing for labeling changes, saying the hormone-free labels imply that the milk is safer than other milk, when they say it's not.

"There's no question that rBST is safe. ... That's what's so frustrating to us, that there are organizations out there that would indicate that it's something other than safe," said Carrol Campbell, a Kansas dairy farmer who co-chairs American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, the new group.

He says they aren't out to take choices away from consumers. They just want them to know that whatever choice they make, it's the same, nutritious, wholesome product, he said.

Monsanto, a corporate sponsor of the group, says it's a question of accuracy in labeling.


"Monsanto is really an advocate in support of accurate labeling of dairy products in the dairy case," said Monsanto spokeswoman Lori Hoag. Is this like the tallest tale of the day????....sure..Monsanto is just such a great corp ever..no hidden agendas!


Others say consumers have a right to know what is and isn't in their food.

The hormone, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to boost production in dairy cows in the early 1990s, was not approved in Canada, Japan or the European Union, largely out of concerns it may be harmful to animals.

And "there are unanswered human questions with it. It probably should never have been approved," said Michael Hansen, a senior scientist with Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports.

...more

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/wireStory?id=4242356

[dragonlady]

1. The last thing Russ Feingold did for us in Wisconsin

before he left the state legislature to go to Washington was to protect our right to know if there's rBGH in our milk. And 15 years later the fight is still going on. :shrug:

[Tumbulu]

2. Thank all the dairies fighting Monsanto! And Ben and Jerry's for courageously leading the way

I got to hear Temple Gran din speak at Eco-Farm and I remember her saying that dairy cows used to live on average ~5 years when she was in grad school. Now the average is on a non organic dairy is 14 months. 14 months?!!!! And they think this hormone is not hurting to cows? Why do you think these other countries banned it? And the hormone residue is definitely in the milk. How dare these liars claim they are for labeling. They have sued anyone who tries to label anything accurately for over a decade now. And claim to be "science based". Well it is in fact "profit based" scientists who have been paid off to spout their nonsense.

Thanks for the post.

[Kat45]

3. Monsanto is scum.

If there's ever a worldwide famine--God forbid--it will be traced back to Monsanto due to all the ways they're ruining our seed and food supply.