Why in the past were new mothers strongly encouraged to use baby formula in lieu of nursing and who promoted this?

The companies that profited from baby formula and the advertising campaigns that they paid for. Women were discouraged from breastfeeding and were told that formula contains all the vital nutrients that your baby needs. At one point there was a recall of formula do to the fact that contaminants were found in it yet it didn't discourage many mothers from continuing to use it. mother's milk has always been superior to substitutions. Always follow the money.