09/01/2008
By Gary Truitt
In a time not so very long ago, in an empire not very far away, there was a pitched battle between The Empire and a band of Rebels. Both of whom were trying to use the power of The Force to win dominance over the US dairy industry. Just like in the Star Wars saga, Milk Wars has a sequel. At present, the rebels have dealt the empire a setback with the destruction of their Death Star. But as the rebels celebrate, the empire gathers its strength for a deadly counterattack.
In our saga, the Jedi rebels are played by radical activist organizations. Not as pretty and pure and Princes Leia or as brave and handsome as Luke or Han, these well-funded groups are just as committed as the Jedi to the destruction of rBST. The Empire, played by American big business, has used biotechnology to develop a product that increases milk production in dairy cows. In the first chapter, Monsanto played the role of Darth Vader but, as we begin the second chapter Eli Lilly, enters as The Emperor.
A few weeks ago Monsanto announced they were selling their Posilac business to Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly. The Jedi activist groups cheered and, waving their light sabers in the air, claimed victory. “I think they saw the handwriting on the wall and gave up,” said Andrew Kimbrell executive director of Center for Food Safety, a consumer activist group. Greenpeace declared this was a “big victory” for consumers. But as columnist David Nicklaus wrote in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the activists may have popped the champagne a bit too early. “Eli Lilly just made a 5 figure bet that this product is going to part of the food chain for a long time.”
Elanco is a major player in the animal health industry and has the resources to and experience in marketing controversial drugs. A USDA survey estimated that about 17% of US dairy cows receive Posilac. Eli Lilly, with their extensive international marketing network, will also be able to increase sales outside the US.
While activist groups are quick to paint Posilac and its makers as “the dark side,” the facts do not support that. The US government approved the product as safe for consumers and cows in 1992. No legitimate and verifiable research has indicated any health risks to animal or humans. Nobody has gotten sick from drinking BST treated milk, and, in fact, there is no way to distinguish BST produced milk from non BST produced milk. The “hormone free” labels that retailers and the Jedi are always crowing about are all based on the honor system with no way to prove how the milk was produced. The activists have not adhered to the Jedi code of honor and have used misinformation and demagoguery in their campaign against this biotech product.
Dairy farmers are caught in the middle. Their production decisions are being made and manipulated by co-ops, retailers, and activist groups. While it is always feels good to cheer for the little guy battling the big corporation, what is really at stake here is truth in labeling and acceptance of scientifically safe production methods. Consumers are also victims of the Milk Wars as they pay higher prices for milk that is identical except for a label that is more of a marketing tool than verifiable information.
I am not prescient enough to see the end to the Milk War saga, but there is some interesting foreshadowing taking place that may spell doom for the Jedi activists. Consumers are reacting to higher food prices and uncertain economic times. They are also showing a willingness to buy products that have less of an environmental impact. BST produced milk is both. More milk per day with Posilac means more milk produced, thus lowering the price, and fewer cows needed to produce the milk, thus less environmental impact. This could represent an ironic plot twist indeed. The ultimate acceptance of biotechnology by consumers may be a result of the “Green movement”, a staunch opponent of biotechnology. Watch for the next episode of Milk Wars, coming to a grocery store near you.
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