LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON LABELING INFORMATION REGARDING THE USE OF RECOMBINANT BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN

With the issuance of the ''Interim Guidance on the Voluntary Labeling of Milk and Milk Products from Cows That Have Not Been Treated with Re combinant Bovine Somatotropin'' by the FDA in February 1994, the Monsa nto Company, Inc. (St. Louis, MO) commenced the commercial sale of Pos ilac(R). Because of farmer and consumer concerns, marketing organizati ons, state administrative agencies, and state legislatures responded w ith various voluntary and mandatory regulations and rules for labeling milk and milk products with information regarding the use of recombin ant bST. A regulatory labeling framework that varies from state to sta te has caused problems for some marketing organizations. Individuals a nd organizations may now turn to the judicial arena as an avenue to ch allenge unfavorable developments.