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There's also a sequel to the Meatrix:
http://www.themeatrix2.com/

This one deals with the bad practices of factory dairy farms, an issue dear to my heart. Be sure to check it.

Yes! Hopefully we turned you all on to that back in April:

http://thekitchen.apartmenttherapy.com/food/food-politics/the-meatrix-ii-revolting-007741

I recently learned that Monsanto, the world's largest agri-business, is calling for the production of milk without RBGH. It's a small step but it is a step.

Not to be the resident cynic, but is Monsanto offering up some alternative chemical for greater milk production? I can't think of another reason they would take such a stance.

If Monsanto is indeed acting out of concern for consumers/the environment that's great. But they're still awful hypocrites for speaking out about one industry while supplying poisons for another.

Maybe dairy farmers should call for less Round-Up in the corn they feed those RBGH-free cows.

Yes, I would be skeptical, to say the least, of Monsanto doing anything out of the goodness of their hearts and, truthfully, though the movement is certainly growing greatly, I don't think it's reached the point to strongarm them into anything.

Organic is the fastest growing segment of the food industry right now, even a nasty giant is going to want to capitalize on the trend. This in no way addresses or validates their approach to corn farming, chemical production or any of the other terrible things they do. Rather an attempt at remaining informed.

Check out all the nasty corporations who have interests in seemingly pure organic or natural brands:

Brand Name(s): Silk Soy Milk, Horizon Dairy
Owned By: White Wave
Principle Stockholders: Dean Foods
Significantly Owned By: Citigroup, Coca Cola, ExxonMobil, General Electric, Home Depot, Microsoft, Pepsico, Pfizer, Philip Morris, Walmart


Brand Name(s): Balance Bar, Boca Burger
Owned By: Kraft Foods.
Principle Stockholders: Philip Morris


Brand Name(s): Knudsen, After the Fall, Santa Cruz
Owned By: J.M. Smucker
Significantly Owned By: Pepsico


Brand Name(s): Stonyfield Farms
Owned By: Danone
Principle Stockholders: Citigroup, Exxon, General Electric,Walmart


Brand Name(s): Arrowhead Mills, Bearitos, Breadshop, Celestial Seasonings, Earth's Best Baby Food, Garden of Eatin, Health Valley, Imagine Foods, Terra Chips, Westbrae, Millina's, Mountain Sun, Shari Ann's, Walnut Acres
Owned By: Hain Food Group
Principle Stockholders: Bank of America, Entergy Nuclear, ExxonMobil, H.J. Heinz, Lockheed Martin, Merck, Monsanto, Pfizer, Philip Morris, Walmart, Waste Management Inc.
Significantly Owned By: Citigroup


Brand Name(s): Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen
Owned By: Small Planet Foods
Principle Stockholders: General Mills
Significantly Owned By: Alcoa, Chevron, Disney, Dupont, ExxonMobil, General Electric, McDonalds, Monsanto, Nike, Pepsico, Pfizer, Philip Morris, Starbucks, Target, Texas Instruments

Here's an ownership chart that makes for handy (and chilling) reading. I thought I was pretty up on this stuff, but there are ownership connections on here that I didn't know about. Enjoy?
http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/rcbtoa/services/corporate-ownership.html

One of the problems I see with the animal-rights activists I know, is they always top their "what you can do" list with "go vegetarian." Although I am a vegetarian, I don't think vegetarianism is a realistic or effective way to stop cruel factory farming practices. What I'd like to see is a movement of omnivores/carnivores against these obscene practices. "Carnivores Against Cruelty" has a nice ring to it. I really am too busy to start such a thing, and not being a carnivore myself it'd be a little hypocritical of me to do so, but I hope something like that is happening out in the world....if not, maybe some of you omnivores could make it happen.

There seems to be some confusion here. Monsanto is the manufacturer of rBGH, so it probably wasn't them calling for any reduction in its use.

This page from the Organic Consumers Association is a great place for "all your rBGH news needs":
http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbghlink.html

But if any large North American agro-business does want less rBGH then that would be encouraging. At the above link, it does some a number of regional dairies are dropping it, and will no longer buy milk from farmers using rBGH.