Recombinant Bovine Growth
Hormone (rBGH) and Milk
Martin Donohoe
Oregon Physicians for Social
Responsibility
Campaign for Safe Food
The Precautionary Principle
When evidence points toward the
potential of an activity to cause
significant, widespread or irreparable
harm to public health or the
environment, options for avoiding that
harm should be examined and pursued,
even though the harm is not yet fully
understood or proven.
The Precautionary Principle
• Give human and environmental health
the benefit of doubt.
• Include appropriate public participation
in the discussion.
• Gather unbiased scientific, technological
and socioeconomic information.
• Consider less risky alternatives.
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)
• aka recombinant Bovine Somatotropin
(rBST), brand name Posilac©
• Used to increase milk production by
cattle
• rBGH raises levels of Insulin-Like Growth
Factor-1 (IGF-1) in cows and cows’ milk
• IGF-1 survives pasteurization and gastric
digestion (due to casein protein in milk)
rBGH
• 10-15% of U.S. dairy cows injected
with rBGH
• May increase costs to dairy farms
• Increases growth rate of cattle,
which require increased protein feed
rBGH
• Marketed primarily to large dairy farms,
which are supplanting small dairy farms
–Worse environmental impact records
–Higher rates of workplace injuries
–Contribute to decreasing agricultural
diversity
Effects of rBGH
• Serum IGF-1 levels increase 10% above baseline
in individuals drinking milk from rBGH-treated
cattle
• IGF-1 interacts with estrogens, androgens, and
other growth promoters
• Milk is the food most associated with high IGF-1
levels
• IGF-1 not important in yogurt, since it is used as a
food source by some of the bacteria responsible
for yogurt production
Risks of rBGH
• IGF-1 is a suspected contributor to breast, prostate
and GI cancers
– Promotes cell division and reduces apoptosis
(preprogrammed cell death) in animals
– Inhibits the ability of various anti-cancer drugs to kill
cultured human breast cancer cells
• Children, who have more years of life to live and
drink more milk (and more milk per body weight)
than adults, are disproportionately affected
Risks of rBGH
• Along with pesticides, other
endocrine disruptors, and obesity,
IGF-1 may be partly responsible for
earlier onset of puberty (9.9 yrs in
2006, compared with 10.9 years in
1991)
Harmful Effects of rBGH
• FDA: rBGH causes 16 different harmful
conditions in cattle, including heat stress,
hoof disorders, GI disturbances, birth
disorders, ovarian and uterine problems,
and mastitis in cattle
–Antibiotic treatment of mastitis leads
to increased antibiotic resistance in
cattle and humans
rBGH (Posilac©)
• Developed and marketed by
Monsanto
• Sold to Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly, in
2008 for $300 million
–Monsanto stock then rises 5%, while Eli
Lilly’s drops 1%
Monsanto
• Agent Orange, PCBs, dioxins DDT
• Largest producer of genetically-modified
seeds
–Contamination events
–Unethical experiments
–Harassment of scientists
Monsanto
• Pesticide Roundup used in “War on
Drugs” in Colombia
• Profitable
• Member of corporate front groups
fighting food safety
legislation/organizations
Monsanto
• Roger Beachy (long-time president of the
Danforth Plant, Monsanto’s nonprofit
arm) now chief of USDA’s National
Institute of Food and Agriculture,
overseeing almost $500 million in grants
and research funding
Monsanto
• Islam Siddiqui, VP at CropLife America
(US branch of CropLife International, an
agribusiness front group led by
Monsanto and others) nominated for
position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator
for the US Trade Representative’s Office
Eli Lilly
• Paid record-setting settlement of $1.42 billion
to US Justice Department for illegally
marketing Zyprexa to children and elderly for
non-FDA approved indications
• Marketed DES for almost 2 decades despite
data showing link between DES exposure in
mothers and clear cell vaginal cancers in
offspring
FDA Approval of rBGH
• OK’d for use by FDA in 1993; on market
since 1994
• FDA official (and former Monsanto
attorney) Michael Taylor oversaw process
– became Monsanto VP after leaving
FDA; now senior advisor to FDA
Commissioner
FDA Approval of rBGH
• FDA relied on industry summary of
internal tests
• Several scientists in FDA’s Center for
Veterinary Medicine reported undue
corporate influence that corrupted the
science
FDA Approval of rBGH
• GAO investigation:
–Found 3 FDA employees involved in
decision had conflicts of interest and
multiple ethics rules violations
–Criticized sloppy, manipulative science,
lack of data on human health effects
Repressed Information on rBGH
• Fox News report on health risks
repressed
• One of the reporters awarded
$425,000 by jury, which agreed that
Fox “acted intentionally and
deliberately to distort the plaintiffs
news reporting on rBST.”
Repressed Information on rBGH
• Appeals court overturned verdict:
– Whisteblower statute only protects people
who threaten to report a violation of a law,
rule, or regulation
– Distorting TV news is not technically illegal
• Reporters received Goldman Environmental
Prize (“the Nobel Prize for the environment”)
rBGH Worldwide
• Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan,
and the European Union have banned
rBGH
–However, dairy products produced by
rBGH-injected cattle can be imported
into many of these nations
–EU Food Safety Agency updates ban
2007
rBGH Worldwide
• The Codex Alimentarius, the UN’s main
food safety body, has refused to certify
rBGH as safe
• Economic/trade consequences for U.S.
farmers using rBGH
Public Opinion and Economics re
rBGH
• Consumers increasingly aware of
rBGH
• 80% of consumers want labeling
• Most willing to pay more for milk
free of artificial hormones
Public Opinion and Economics re
rBGH
• Many dairies and milk product brands
have gone rBGH-free, as have all four
major Portland, OR hospital systems (for
fluid milk) and over 160 hospitals
nationwide
• Price for organic/rBGH-free milk products
decreasing, especially in markets where
most producers have gone rBGH-free
(e.g., OR, WA, ME, and most parts of CA)
Public Opinion re rBGH
• “We’re not aware of any consumer
demand for [an rBGH-free] product.”
– Kevin Holloway, Monsanto, Capital
Press (Salem, OR), Feb. 2, 2007.
Public Opinion re rBGH
• “Our customers' increasing interest in
their health and wellness is the basis for
our decision [to begin requiring
certification that our milk is from cows
not treated with rbST].’” – William
Boehm, Senior Vice President – Kroger,
Atlanta Journal – Constitution, Aug. 3,
2007.
Public Opinion re rBGH
• “When it comes to our decision to
carry rBST-free milk, we are simply
listening and responding to what our
customers have asked for.” –
Shannon Patten, Publix Super
Markets, Lakeland, FL Ledger, June
10, 2007.
Public Opinion re rBGH
• “When Tillamook’s (rBGH-free cheese)
policy became public, we received
overwhelmingly supportive feedback. In
just two weeks, more than 8,500
consumers contacted us, backing our
policy.” – Jim McMullen, former
Tillamook (OR) CEO, Cheese Market
News, May 13, 2005.
rBGH and Greenhouse Gasses
• Causes 10% increase in milk production, but:
– May increase food costs
– Increased greenhouse gas emissions, including
methane, which contribute to global warming (per
FDA, NAS, and EPA)
– Treated cows burn out faster, slaughtered earlier
• FDA turned down Monsanto’s request to label rBGH
as feed-efficient (and therefore causing fewer
greenhouse gas emissions)
Another potential risk of rBGH-use
• rBGH increases growth rate of cattle, which
require increased protein feed
– One of the cheapest and most commonlyutilized forms of protein is other dead
animals, via rendering
• Mad Cow Disease
–USDA can bar meatpackers from
testing slaughtered cattle
Other Issues re rBGH and Milk
• Scientific evidence shows that some of the
purported benefits of milk may be false
• Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are
widely available, inexpensive, and contain 0
calories
• Many non-Europeans are lactose-intolerant
Other Risks Involving Milk:
Melamine
• Falsely elevates apparent protein content of milk,
allowing milk to be watered-down
• Nephrotoxic, by causing crystals to form in kidneys
• 19 sentenced (including 2 – death penalty, 3 – life in
prison)
• 51,000+ children sickened in China (at least 6 deaths)
in 2008/9
– Melamine still found in many products sold
imported from China
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• rBGH:
–Goal – discontinue the production of
any dairy products from cows treated
with rBGH
• Oregon $600 million dairy industry
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• rBGH:
– Grassroots education campaign so that citizens
can make an informed choice
– Oppose efforts by AFACT (Monsanto front group)
and others to limit labeling at the state and
federal level
• 8 states have attempted to ban or restrict
rBGH-free dairy labeling
• Only OH has succeeded: currently under appeal
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• All fluid milk products in Oregon now
rBGH-free
• 55 of the top 100 U.S. dairies are now at
least partially rBGH-free or have
announced that they will be
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• Tillamook cheese (2nd largest producer in
U.S. after Kraft) now rBGH-free
• Fred Meyer, Eberhard, Alpenrose,
Darigold, Yoplait, Meadow Gold, TG Lee,
Velda milk products rBGH-free
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• Dean Foods (a few plants), Albertson’s, Publix,
Trader Joes, and Safeway (fluid milk in No. CA
and Pacific NW), and Darigold rBGH-free
• Wal-Mart (store brand), Kroger (includes Fred
Meyer, QF, Ralphs, and Smith’s markets) rBGHfree
• California Dairies, Inc. (second largest US coop) rBGH-free
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• Southwest Milk, Inc. (Florida’s largest coop) rBGH-free
• Dannon, General Mills phasing out rBGH
products
• Campina (Europe’s largest dairy
producer) going rBGH-free
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• Lactaid rBGH-free
• Starbucks company-owned stores rBGHfree (not franchises)
• Subway, Chipotle Restaurants rBGH-free
• Some schools going rBGH-free
Opposition to rBGH
•
•
•
•
•
ANA
Health Care Without Harm
AMA President Ron Davis (’07-’08)
BMJ
ACS – no formal position (2009);
previously supported rBGH
Opposition to rBGH
•
•
•
•
•
Humane Society
Animal Protection Institute
Humane Farming Association
Farm Sanctuary
?APHA?
–Resolution pending
OR PSR Campaign for Safe Food
• rBGH-free milk
• Organic milk
– No rBGH or other added hormones, pesticides, or
antibiotics
– Contains more beneficial fatty acids
• Sales of rBGH-free and organic milk
increasing; demand high throughout
U.S.; prices falling
What You Can Do
• Buy rBGH-free dairy products
• Tell others about rBGH (schools, hospitals,
churches, etc.)
• Support APHA resolution calling for the
precautionary avoidance of hormone growth
promoters in beef and dairy cattle production
• Sign up for email updates
• Donate to food safety groups
PSR Campaign for Safe Food: Available
Resources
• Fact Sheets on rBGH, biopharming, and
food irradiation
• rBGH-free Dairy Products Guide (milk
and yogurt)
• Survey data re consumer opinions on
rBGH
• Detailed scientific references
• This presentation
PSR Campaign for Safe Food:
Available Resources
• Donohoe MT. Genetically-Modified
Foods: Health and Environmental Risks
and the Corporate Agribusiness Agenda.
Z Magazine 2006 (December):35-40.
Available at
http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Dec2006/donohoe1206.html
Website
• Campaign for Safe Food, Oregon
Physicians for Social Responsibility:
http://www.oregonpsr.org/programs
/campaignSafeFood.html
Contact Information
Public Health and Social Justice
Website
http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org
http://www.phsj.org
martindonohoe@phsj.org