The state of Utah is considering imposing a ban on labeling any milk sold in the state as hormone-free. This would be a break with both federal law and the laws of all 49 other states.

The controversy concerns recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), also known as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), an artificial hormone that is injected into dairy cows to increase their milk production. Due to widespread consumer demand, milk from cows that have not been treated with rBST has become increasingly popular across the United States.

RBST maker Monsanto has fought back with campaigns on both the state and national level to ban such claims.

“You’re headed in the right direction,” Monsanto’s Brian Lowry said at a public hearing on the proposed rule.

The new Utah rule would allow claims that milk was produced from cows not treated with rBST, but only if it also included a disclaimer reading, “No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from cows treated with artificial growth hormones and cows not treated with artificial hormones.”

Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand have all banned the use of rBST, while the European Union placed an indefinite moratorium on it in 1993.

The Utah Food Industry Association supports hormone-free labeling and has opposed the proposed ban. According to the association, hormone-free labels are consumer driven and should be maintained.

If passed, the rule would affect all milk sold in the state of Utah. But some opponents of the rule have predicted that it would probably only be enforced on small Utah businesses.

“It’s tough to stand up to the giants,” said Mike Winder of Winder Farms.

If the rule passes and the state is forced to challenge product claims from dozens of companies, Winder predicted, “Utah could become the laughingstock of the nation.”