Got (rBGH) Milk?

Major retailers and processors of milk in the US have stopped buying milk that tests show contain Monsanto's recombinant growth hormone (rBGH).

Used to increase milk production in cows, rBGH is banned in Canada and Europe but is given to 18 percent of US dairy cows. This hormone causes cows to produce more insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Unfortunately, IGF-1 is linked to increased risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers in people who consume high concentrations of the growth factor in milk, meat, and other food products.

Health-conscious consumers have increased demand for rBGH-free milk, as have big-box retailers and milk processors. Major US dairies Tillamook, Darigold, and Garelick have eliminated rBGH from some or all of their milk products in the past two years.

Tillamook's home page, for example, clearly states: "Farmer-owners have certified that their milk is from cows not supplemented with artificial bovine growth hormone." Tillamook is the second largest producer of block cheese in the US.

Canada imports some cheese, yogourt, and other dairy products from the US, so the best way to ensure that the dairy products you or your family consume are rBGH-free is to buy certified organic dairy products.