The giant chemical and agribusiness company is suing the Oakhurst Dairy in Maine “for promoting its products as containing milk from cows who are not treated with artificial growth hormones. Monsanto, which makes the leading artificial hormone for cows, said the marketing implies that there’s something wrong with milk from treated cows, even though studies show the milk is no different than milk from untreated cows.” (Edward D. Murphy, “On the front lines of free speech”, Portland Press Herald, Aug. 31; Kristen Philipkosky, “Sour Grapes over Milk Labeling”, Wired News, Sept. 16). As the Press-Herald’s Murphy suggests, this kind of suit can work very similarly to one like Nike v. Kasky in chilling controversial business speech, the difference being that in this case one business is doing it to another.

Filed under: advertising, agriculture and farming, competition through litigation, free speech