[polluted]

Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) in milk threathens our health

What is rBGH?
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone is a genetically engineered copy of a naturally occurring hormone produced by cows. Manufactured by Monsanto Company, the drug is sold to dairy farmers under the name POSILAC, though you'll also find it called BGH, rBGH, BST and rBST. When rBGH gets injected into dairy cows, milk production increases by as much as 10-15%. The use of rBGH on dairy cows was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in late 1993 and has been in use since 1994. Bovine Growth Hormone in Milk - Whistle Blowers Expose the Truth

Genetically engineered Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)
Both the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) and the Consumer's Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, have warned of the potential hazards to human health caused by consuming products derived from rBGH-treated cows.

While rBGH is banned in Europe and Canada, and has been boycotted by 95 percent of US dairy farmers, the FDA, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture continue to license the drug (and other new genetically engineered foods) without pre-market safety tests. Thanks to industry pressure, genetically engineered foods are NOT required to carry identifying labels. According to the US Federal Office of Management and Budget the projected increase in milk production caused by rBGH introduction will cost American taxpayers an additional $116 million of dollars for further price supports in 1995 alone. And what about the cows? rBGH use will cause suffering to millions of animals: rBGH is like "crack" for cows. It "revs" their system and forces them to produce a lot more milk - but it also makes them sick. Even the FDA admits that cows injected with rBGH could suffer from increased udder infections (mastitis), severe reproductive problems, digestive disorders, foot and leg ailments, and persistent sores and lacerations.

Bovine Growth Hormone -What You May Not Know-
by Michael Greger

"There have been no long term studies of BGH's effects on humans. The congressional General Accounting Office has warned of the potential human health hazards from the consumption of milk or flesh (about 40% of the beef used to make hamburgers come from "old" dairy cows) derived from BGH-treated cows. The Consumer's Union went on to state that the FDA should not have even approved it. BGH "treatment" causes significantly increased levels of another growth hormone called IGF-1 in the milk, according to a 1990 study sponsored by Monsanto and published in Science. Bovine IGF-1 is identical to the IGF-1 naturally found in humans." read the rest of the document



Got (Genetically Engineered) Milk?
The Monsanto rBGH/BST Milk Wars Handbook
Dr. Samuel Epstein

rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone), is a genetically engineered (GE) potent variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. Manufactured by Monsanto, it is sold to dairy farmers under the trade name POSILAC. Injection of this GE hormone forces cows to increase their milk production by about 10%. Monsanto and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) insist that rBGH milk is indistinguishable from natural milk and safe to cows and consumers. However:

* rBGH makes cows sick. Monsanto has been forced to admit to about 20 veterinary health risks on its Posilac label including mastitis and udder inflammation.
* rBGH milk is contaminated by pus from mastitis induced by rBGH, and antibiotics used to treat the mastitis.
* rBGH milk is contaminated by the GE hormone which can be absorbed through the gut and induce immunological effects.
* rBGH milk is chemically and nutritionally very different from natural milk.
* rBGH milk is supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), excess levels of which have been incriminated as major causes of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.
* rBGH factory farms pose a major threat to the viability of small dairy farms. Thus, rBGH
enriches Monsanto while posing risks but no benefits to the entire U.S. population.
The Leading Edge Research On-Line Datahas more researched documents on Genetically Engineered Products and Hormones on Animals for Human Consumption

The health hazards to animals, the detriment to small farms, the cover-up in Monsanto, all the negatives attached to rGBH are in no way balanced by any benefits of increased milk production in view of the national surplus.

[shecky7]

I get my milk at rawsome in venice. All organic raw unpasteurized like from the farm. Well, from the farm not like. doh!