Earlier this year, Monsanto requested that Maine’s Attorney General and Department of Agriculture forbid Oakhurst’s use of the phrase “Our Farmers Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormones” on its packaging. The attorney general’s office determined that the statement was appropriate and refused Monsanto’s request. I was appalled to learn recently that chemical manufacturing giant Monsanto is now suing local, Maine-owned dairy processor Oakhurst over the use of that phrase.

This all comes down to business, big business. Monsanto manufactures the artificial growth hormone that is at the center of the controversy. Oakhurst is successfully marketing its milk as a premium product that comes from cows not injected with rBST, and Monsanto has gone to war. Their goal is to market rBST to more dairy farmers, and Oakhurst’s successful promotion works against them.

I am very pleased to see Maine’s newspapers, including this one, offering editorial support to Oakhurst on this issue.

Oakhurst’s pledge provides information to their customers. People have the right to this information so that they can make informed decisions based on their own research into the issue. We deserve at least that much, and I believe Oakhurst deserves our support in their fight against Monsanto.

Nancy Smith, Monmouth