Nader Enters Ring in Oakhurst Corner (Monsanto vs. Maine Dairy)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0814-08.htm


ublished on Thursday, August 14, 2003 by the Portland Press Herald (Maine)
Nader Enters Ring in Oakhurst Corner
by Paul Livingstone and Matt Wickenheiser

Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate for president in the last election, has thrown his support
behind Oakhurst Dairy as the Portland company fights to keep labels that say its milk comes from
farms that don't use artificial growth hormones.

Nader contacted Oakhurst recently to offer free legal help, through his
foundation that supports freedom of speech, because he says the small
Maine dairy is outgunned financially by Monsanto Co., the chemical firm
that had more than $4 billion in sales last year.

"Oakhurst's label is completely untouchable. It's free speech," the
consumer advocate said during a phone interview Wednesday. "What
Monsanto is doing is engaging in frivolous harassing litigation."

Monsanto has "made a serious tactical mistake" by suing Oakhurst, he
said. "I think they're beatable in the court of law and the court of public
opinion."

Also Wednesday, the dairy asked that the case be moved from the
federal court in Boston to the one in Portland. In the filing, Oakhurst argued that the case would be
of importance to the state of Maine's regulation of its milk industry, that the outcome could
determine the enforceability of state law, and as such belongs in Maine.

ok now

This one hits close to home....I really can't believe that Monsanto can even think they have a right to dictate a private company's business/marketing plan....if they want to promote their product as BGH free, why isn't that a obvious right? Monsanto can take out all the advertising they want extolling the virtues of their product, I just don't know why someone can't claim their product doesn't contain milk produced from cows that are feed this "wonder" additive.

Heck, if it's such a great thing, Monsanto should expect Oakhurst to lose marketshare by broadcasting their milk is free of BGH...

Stick to what your good at Ralph.

I admire his position on this! In this case, Go Ralph!

Monsanto hoped the dairy would cave when faced with the costs of litigation and give up without a fight. This is an open and shut 1st Amendment case, and I'm glad to see the dairy fighting it. The dairy isn't claiming that RGBH is harmful (which could be interpreted as defamation), they are simply stating that their milk doesn't contain any. Federal courts have maintained for more than 100 years that "statements of fact" cannot be considered defamation.

http://www.peta.org/liv/quotes-old.html

Offending the dairy industry in CA...priceless

They deserve to win this one.