E-wire | By Dr. Samuel Epstein | October 16, 2001
Chicago, IL-- The Monsanto rBGH/BST Milk Wars Handbook. A powerful expose of the dangers of genetically engineered (r BGH) milk, and Monsanto's longstanding attempt to suppress this information. With an Introduction by Ben & Jerry and a Foreword by John Hagelin, Ph.D.
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 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.
Got (genetically engineered) Milk? is a unique resource manual on rBGH milk. It presents a comprehensive summary of the scientific literature since 1985, and Dr. Epstein's relatively inaccessible trail blazing scientific publications on rBGH over the last decade. These publications have played a major role in influencing foreign governments to ban rBGH milk.
Got (genetically engineered) Milk? includes Dr. Samuel Epstein's press releases, editorials, and extensive correspondence with key members of Congress and the FDA. Got (genetically engineered) Milk? documents evidence of interlocking conflicts of interest between Monsanto and the White House, regulatory agencies, and medical institutions including the American Medical Association and American Cancer Society; Monsanto's white collar crime relating to suppression and manipulation of information on the veterinary and public health hazards of rBGH dairy products; and behind the scenes evidence of the Dairy
Coalition's "hit squad", which targeted and attempted to stifle and discredit the author.
Of additional interest is the real story behind Fox Television's firing of Jane Akre, a veteran television reporter, following her extensive and in-depth interview with the author on rBGH, and also his involvement as the lead expert testifying on behalf of Jane in her subsequent successful litigation against Fox.
Got (genetically engineered) Milk? presents other valuable
resource materials including listings of national and
international anti-biotech public health, veterinary and animal rights activist groups, and of rBGH-free U.S. dairy producers, such as Horizon Organic and Swiss Valley Farms.
Of key interest is the book's critical relevance to the ongoing debate on GE foods, including irrefutable evidence discrediting the unpublished "trust us" safety assurances of Monsanto, and other GE food industries. Got (genetically engineered) Milk? thus makes it clear that Monsanto's highly deceptive track record on rBGH, compounded by FDA's complicity and refusal to label rBGH milk, more than justify dismissal its assurances of safety of GE foods.
Dr. Epstein is a multiple-award winning emeritus Professor of environmental medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, Chicago, author of 260 scientific publications, and author or co-author of 10 books.
To read Got (genetically engineered) Milk?, receive more
information, or arrange an interview, please contact Tania
Ketenjian at tania@sevenstories.com. or visit
http://www.sevenstories.com
