St. Louis-based Monsanto announced it's selling its
Posilac Division that makes bovine growth hormone, also known as
rBGH or rBST. There's no problem with the product, insists the company. During a conference call today, Monsanto's Chrissie Chavis told reporters that Posilac, as it's known commercially, is a "solid successful product of significant value to dairy farmers." But nationwide a growing number of consumers and dairy processors feel otherwise. "No artificial growth hormones used" is now commonly displayed on store shelves from Florida to California. The proposed sale, she said, allows the company to focus on genetically engineered seed. "Our long term growth platform is focused on corn, soybeans, cotton and vegetables. Repositioning the business would ensure that loyal dairy farmers could continue to receive the value of Posilac in their operations." Posilac, is sold in an injectable form to an unknown number of dairy farmers in the U.S. and internationally. Monsanto refused to divulge sales figures, but insists that one-third of the nation's cows receive injections. The USDA estimate that number to be more in the range of 15 percent. In the last several years, major retailers such as Safeway, Publix and Kroger have decided to ban the artificial hormone in their store-brand milk. Starbucks has refused to purchase dairy from treated cows at its 6,793 company-operated stores. Chipotle Mexican Grill, a McDonalds spinoff, has banned rBST in its company stores. Recently, rBGH has been tested on catfish and tilapia to increase growth. More
here.
St. Louis-based Monsanto announced it's selling its Posilac Division that makes bovine growth hormone, also known as rBGH or rBST. There's no problem with the product, insists the company. During a conference call today, Monsanto's Chrissie Chavis told reporters that Posilac, as it's known commercially, is a "solid successful product of significant value to dairy farmers." But nationwide a growing number of consumers and dairy processors feel otherwise. "No artificial growth hormones used" is now commonly displayed on store shelves from Florida to California. The proposed sale, she said, allows the company to focus on genetically engineered seed. "Our long term growth platform is focused on corn, soybeans, cotton and vegetables. Repositioning the business would ensure that loyal dairy farmers could continue to receive the value of Posilac in their operations." Posilac, is sold in an injectable form to an unknown number of dairy farmers in the U.S. and internationally. Monsanto refused to divulge sales figures, but insists that one-third of the nation's cows receive injections. The USDA estimate that number to be more in the range of 15 percent. In the last several years, major retailers such as Safeway, Publix and Kroger have decided to ban the artificial hormone in their store-brand milk. Starbucks has refused to purchase dairy from treated cows at its 6,793 company-operated stores. Chipotle Mexican Grill, a McDonalds spinoff, has banned rBST in its company stores. Recently, rBGH has been tested on catfish and tilapia to increase growth. More here.
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