The New York Times has a story today about Monsanto, the agribusiness giant infamous for things like patenting seeds farmers have used for generations, patenting and promoting genetically modified seeds, and selling Posilac, the bovine growth hormones so many consumers, farmers and stores have come to reject.

It turns out, Monsanto is trying to cut its losses from Posilac and run: the Posilac arm of Monsanto is up for sale.  Of course, Monsanto claims, this has nothing to do with consumer demand increasing for hormone-free milk or farmers refusing to give their cows hormones (which we discussed here).  The article quotes Monsanto’s executive vice president, in his best marketing-speak, explaining that the sale “will allow Monsanto to focus on the growth of its core seeds and traits business while ensuring that loyal dairy farmers continue to receive the value of Posilac in their operations.”

Loyal dairy farmers.  As opposed to those treasonous ones who have started treating their cows and consumers well. 

This is a good sign, even if it doesn’t mean the end of Monsanto.  It’s an example of our personal choices about what we buy and what we reject influencing what is produced and sold.  Individual and small actions really sometimes do have an effect.  It also might be the beginning of the end for bovine growth hormones.

But maybe you’re looking for a new direction in life.  If so, why not try selling a product nobody wants, which makes cows sick, and which may be detrimental to milk drinkers too?  I bet I know where you could get a hell of a deal.

For more information about milk quality, including discussion of antibiotics and hormones, check out this post:

Do you know your milk?

Here are some other Food Is Love posts on milk, raw milk, butter and dairy:

Dioxin: a big fat quandary

More raw milk

Grass-fed milk and protective fatty acid

Butter me up!

This should be illegal

More on homemade goat cheese