POSILAC Bovine Somatotropin production will now be in the hands of another business, not Monsanto. In my view, this does absolve Monsanto any more than it guarantees the removal of growth hormones from dairy products. I wonder who owns Eli Lilly and Company, the purchasers of Posilac. This sale could just be part of the business shell game in which Monsanto hides its assets by selling them off to another part of itself. But regardless of ownership of the means of BGH production, more and more dairy product suppliers are avoiding hormone-induced milk products. The latest I heard was Yoplait has gone hormone free. Here's the story from the perspective of the Organic Consumer's Association:

rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) is a genetically engineered variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. Formerly manufactured by Monsanto, it is sold to dairy farmers under the trade name Posilac. Injection of this hormone forces cows to boost milk production by about 10%, while increasing the incidences of mastitis, lameness, and reproductive complications.

...

After 5 years of declining sales and several legal setbacks, Monsanto has finally decided to dump rBGH! Thanks to consumer pressure, major retailers, dairies, and cafes, from Kroger to Starbucks, have committed to sourcing milk from rBGH-free cows.

Several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and the European Union have banned rbGH because of its impacts on human and animal health.

OCA's Millions Against Monsanto campaign has generated over a quarter million emails and petition signatures on the topic of rBGH, helping make rBGH one of the most controversial food products in the world.

Posilac division was sold to: Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY)

NEW RELEASE:
http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=647

MY SOURCES:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbghlink.cfm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_14008.cfm
http://www.foodprocessing.com/industrynews/2008/074.html
http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=647
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS129392+02-Oct-2008+PRN20081002