Got Milk? Get Fired Jane Akre, In These Times May 8, 2001

After three judges, 27 months of pre-trial wrangling and five weeks of courtroom testimony, the jury finally had its say. On August 28, 2000, it awarded me $425,000 in damages for being fired by TV station WTVT in Tampa, Florida. WTVT is a Fox station owned by Rupert Murdoch. The verdict made me the first journalist ever to win a "whistleblower" judgment in court against a news organization accused of illegally distorting the news.

Notwithstanding being vindicated in court, I have yet to collect a dime of that jury award. There is no telling how long Fox will drag out the appeals process as it seeks to have the judgment overturned by a higher court. Meanwhile, I am still out of work, as is my husband, Steve Wilson, who was also fired on December 2, 1997, for refusing to falsify a news story to appease the powerful Monsanto Corporation.

The story Fox tried to kill involved rBGH milk, which is produced using Monsanto's recombinant bovine growth hormone. We documented how the hormone, which can harm cows, was approved by the government as a veterinary drug without adequate testing of how it affected the children and adults who drink rBGH milk.

Complete story at: http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=10832

Makes me glad that I'm lactose-intolerant!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Answers

I remember seeing some milk labelled as rBGH-free when this was first an issue. Haven't seen it lately - should we assume it's in all milk now? Still not allowed in Europe, as far as I know. Most Americans are amazed to hear that U.S. beef is pretty much banned in Britain because of rBGH.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

I know not of other states, but Minnesota and Wisconsin has labeled non-rBGH milk easily available.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

I'm certainly not endorsing the product here, and really don't want to drink the hormone laced stuff, but does anyone know if there has been any evidence so far that it causes harm to humans? It may be too early yet to tell for sure. I feel certain all the milk we have available locally contains the hormones because no one is bragging that they don't.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

I can't recall any studies about rBGH off the top of my head. There are some European studies linking another growth hormone given to beef, 17-beta-estradiol, with increased risk of breast cancer and precocious puberty in young girls.

The point is that if Monsanto had proposed injecting these hormones into people the FDA would have subjected them to 10+ years of study to assure safety and efficacy. Even then, we all know that some unsafe drugs still make it through the FDA. But since it is a veterinary product they are only required to do a "risk analysis". Our government says "No one has proven that it's unsafe, so we're going to go ahead and use it." The EU is saying "No one has proven that it's safe, so we are not going to use it."

I posted this article not so much to start a debate about rBGH, but to illustrate just how much power big business has over the news. The other Monsanto thread talks about consumers being uneducated. How many people think that they are educated about this topic because they listen to the evening news, when in reality they're not being educated, they're being indoctrinated.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

There are recent studies done in ... I think it was Germany... not sure. They are linking all sorts of birth defects and cancers to the BGH stuff... Nothing is conclusive, yet, so don't worry too much yet. I don't think many of us would willingly drink this stuff, anyway.

I do have to say that it is WONDERFUL to hear about these two people - it is not very often these days that we see folks who truly stand behind what they believe in (honesty, for example!)!!

So much to look into.... so little time.....

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

The consolidation of media outlets in the United States and worldwide is one of the great untold stories -- untold because the media that should be revealing it are all controlled by less than a dozen major corporations. Yet another reason why we should all work and fight to keep the internet free. It is the last unshackled news source.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

An easy way to have your milk without all the toxic stuff is simply buy organic. The stores around here have had a hard time keeping organic milk in stock. One of the guys who orders dairy products for a large store here told me that there simply aren't enough chemical free cows to produce the amount of milk requested. Of course raising your own organic cow or goat would work too.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Sheri,

Congradulations on the recent verdict. I hope you get to see some of that money soon, as it's hard to eat satisfaction, as well as love.

Good luck in the future judgements as well. Nice job of speaking out, that takes courage in the moment, as well as to face the future when it's a little uncertain.

Peace.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Sheri,

Congratulations on the recent verdict. I hope you get to see some of that money soon, as it's hard to eat satisfaction, as well as love.

Good luck in the future judgements as well. Nice job of speaking out, that takes courage in the moment, as well as to face the future when it's a little uncertain.

Peace.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Sure makes me glad I raise dairy goats!! Here in the state of Maine we have a few dairies who have pledged not to add the growth hormone to their milk. When my goats are dry, you can be sure I buy their milk!

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001