October 23, 2025

Got BGH?

In 1995 I had an exhibition at the Sesnon Gallery at UCSC and one of my projects was related to food activism. I produced a poster that referenced the famous “Got Milk?” ads but changed the text to “Got BGH?” as a reference to the then-new practice of giving Bovine Growth Hormone to cows so they produce more milk. The image of the Hostess cupcake also tied into another reference to a famous Hostess product.

the text at top read: “In November 1978, former San Francisco Supervisor Dan White shot and killed Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. In his defense he blamed stress and eating twinkies as factors that drove him temporarily insane.”

the text at bottom: “Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is a genetically engineered hormone that causes cows to produce up to 25% more milk. Although there have been no long-term tests of the hormone’s health effects on humans, some preliminary studies link BGH with increased risks of breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and hypertension. BGH treated cows are more susceptible to “mad cow disease”, udder infections and birthing deformed calves. Milk and other products from BGH treated cows may contain less protein and higher levels of saturated fat as well as pus, bacteria and antibiotics. Even though the FDA has acknowledged some of these dangers, they maintain approval of BGH’s use in beef and dairy products and have refused to require labeling of products derived from use of BGH.”

…with a website to get more information.

I printed a few 100 posters and gave them away at the exhibition. I also posted them around town and showed the work again at Southern Exposure gallery in San Francisco later than year.

This image shows the scale of the posters and you can perhaps make out the tiny text along the top and bottom.

For many years I had a web page on my site that had links for more information about mad cow disease and BGH. Here is a revised list of links (as of 2025) for more information on this issue that is still with us today.

The good news is, as of 2025, the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone among U.S. dairy operations has declined to historically low levels. Current agricultural and market data indicate that fewer than 5% of U.S. dairy farms still use rBGH injections on their cows

Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)

Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH), also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST or rBGH), is a genetically engineered hormone used to increase milk production in dairy cows. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its use in 1993, it remains banned in the European Union, Canada, and several other countries due to animal welfare and consumer safety concerns.

Research over the past two decades has linked rBGH use to increased udder infections, lameness, and reproductive problems in cows. Some health advocates also raise questions about elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in milk from treated cows, though regulatory agencies continue to disagree over its significance. For updated scientific and policy perspectives, explore the links below.

Resources on rBGH and Food Safety

Corporate Accountability and Legal Updates

Sustainable and Organic Dairy Alternatives