Bernard Sanders: “imagine a group of family farmers or dairy companies or a grocery story being sued by a giant multinational drug company…”

“imagine a group of family farmers or dairy companies or a grocery story being sued by a giant multinational drug company simply for putting a label on their milk saying that they do not use a new drug that causes illness in cows, a drug that, as it happens, is made by that same multinational corporation. Sound like an Orwellian nightmare to you? Well, it is actually happening now here in America. Monsanto, the company that has used its massive influence to get the FDA to approve its bovine growth hormone drug, is now suing small cooperative dairies because they want to tell their customers that they do not use Monsanto's BGH. Mr. Speaker, this is an outrage. Large majorities of the American people have said they want labeling of milk for BGH. But when small companies respond to consumers' needs, Monsanto tries to intimidate them with lawsuits. And where is the FDA in all of this? Unfortunately, as in the past, the FDA has taken the corporation's side, not the side of the American people. Mr. Speaker, let us remind the FDA they work for the American people and not for Monsanto.”