From the mouth of the former resident.
Are American milk producers still using genetically engineered bovine growth hormone to increase milk production?
Anon remembers a story from back in the day when Fox a little more honest than today.
A jury in Florida has ruled that Fox TV’s Tampa station illegally fired reporter Jane Akre for refusing to run a false report about genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (BGH), a controversial drug used to increase milk production.
https://www.wired.com/2000/08/reporter-wins-whistleblower-case/
>Are American milk producers still using genetically engineered bovine growth hormone to increase milk production?
Grok says yes.
Yes, American milk producers are still permitted to use genetically engineered bovine growth hormone, specifically recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) or recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), to increase milk production in dairy cows. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved rBST in 1993, and it remains legal for use in the United States as of March 26, 2025. The hormone, marketed under names like Posilac, is injected into cows to boost milk yield by approximately 10-20% by enhancing metabolic processes and extending peak lactation periods.
However, its use has declined significantly over the years due to consumer concerns, retailer preferences, and market shifts. A 2014 USDA survey indicated that fewer than 15% of U.S. dairy cows were being treated with rBST, and more recent estimates suggest this figure may have dropped further, though exact current usage statistics are not universally tracked or reported. Many major U.S. dairy companies and retailers, such as Walmart and Kroger, have moved toward rBST-free milk in response to consumer demand for hormone-free products, even though the FDA maintains that milk from rBST-treated cows is safe for human consumption, citing its biochemical similarity to naturally occurring bovine somatotropin and its degradation in the human digestive system.
Despite this, rBST is not universally adopted across the industry. Its use varies by farm, with some producers opting out due to cost, animal health concerns (e.g., increased risk of mastitis), or to meet the growing market for "rBST-free" labeled products. While the hormone remains legal and in use, the trend in American dairy production has been shifting away from it, though it has not been phased out entirely.