Pennsylvania resisted a lobbying push by Monsanto that sought to outlaw the labeling of milk that is free of artificial hormones.

Monsanto had argued that there is no discernible difference between milk from cows that have or have not been injected with its recombinant bovine growth hormones, known as alternately as rbST, bST, BGH or rBGH. It is banned in Europe and Canada.

While health concerns are on the minds of some consumers, others choose hormone-free milk because it means the cows were raised in somewhat more natural conditions. Hormones make cows produce more milk and for a longer period of time, and often go hand-in-hand with other industrial farming techniques like the heavy use of antibiotics and a corn-heavy diet.

Organic milk cannot come from cows treated with hormones.