Tillamook Cheese maker defies Monsanto

Being a Swiss miss and cheese fiend...I read some good news on Saturday.

"The Oregon-based No. 2 maker of chunk cheese in the nation has banned a genetically engineered growth hormone made by Monsanto Co. for dairy cows, despite what it says is escalating pressure from the chemical giant.

The Tillamook County Creamery Association said Friday that it asked all of its 147 member farmers to halt use of the recombinant bovine somatotropin hormone, or rBST, because of customer requests to do so.

In a news release, the association assailed Monsanto for seeking to block the move with efforts ranging from a letter-writing campaign to hiring a lawyer.

"Tillamook County Creamery Association is facing an aggressive intrusion by Monsanto in the association's decision making process," the association said."

Sound like the typical way Monsanto does business. They've done similar things to farmers who won't use their genetically modified seeds. They even used these tactics with a Fox news piece in Florida about the ill effects of their rBST on humans, eventually watering down the language and thus the effects of the piece. (For more on that watch "The Corporation"...a great documentary about the history and actions of corporations.)

Tillamook's got my business for life! Go Tillamook!!!!