US farmer’s organization is part of growth hormone company

A US “grass-roots organization” The American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, AFACT. Was set up to defend farmer’s rights to use recombinant bovine somatotropin an artificial growth hormone, also known as rBST or rBGH, which is used to help milk production.

AFACT claims to be an organization of dairy farmers, but the organization is closely tied to a company called Monsanto who, surprise, surprise, manufacture Posilac, which in turn is a brand name for rBGH.

The company declares itself to be ‘helping’ to organize the group. AFACT also works with Osborn & Barr a prestigious marketing company, which was founded by an executive of Monsanto.

Consumers in the US are starting t turn away from milk that contains artificial growth hormones. The declared aim of AFACT is to stop the implementation of labeling that would state which milk products contain “no artificial growth hormone.”

Posilac when administered to cows allows them to produce around one extra gallon of milk per day, more than un-treated cows. Some US farmers want to continue the use of the hormone to make their farms more profitable.

They however, are not keen on the idea of consumers knowing which milk contains the product. The FDA approves the use of these hormones and states that they are safe for human consumption. Around the world, many other countries dispute this, and have refused to license these products.