After years of battling in court to prevent dairies from labeling their milk rBGH-free, Monsanto is apparently udderly fed up. Facing a growing backlash against its genetically engineered Recombinant bovine growth hormone (hence rBGH) that once conquered the U.S. dairy industry, the Gene Giant is selling rights to produce Posilac, its name for the the product.
Posilac had become increasingly marginal to Monsanto’s profit growth, which derives mainly from its dominance of the genetically modified corn, soy, and cotton seed markets.
Whatever company buys it probably won’t have Monsanto’s deep pockets or litigious zeal for trying to prevent dairies from labeling their products rBGH-free. The announcement marks a victory for consumers’ right to know what’s in their food.