The hormone in the implant is released into the bloodstream very slowly ensuring the concentration of the hormone remains relatively constant and very low (Primer pp). Moreover, the prescribed dosage is the level "which produces the maximum economic response in the animal -- the law of diminishing returns -- so that there is no economic incentive for a farmer to use additional implants," and ensures that the animals taken to slaughter have normal hormone levels (Primer pp). According to the Primer, beef from a bull contains testosterone levels over ten times higher than the amount in beef from a steer that has received hormones for growth promotion (Primer pp). Therefore, since the European beef market is predominately bull-sourced, while the American meat is steer-sourced, American hormone treated beef generally contains lower levels of hormones than most European beef (Primer pp). Moreover, hormone levels in beef are far less than those found in eggs, and one pint glass of milk from an untreated cow contains about nine times as much estradiol as a 250 gram portion of meat from a steer raised using hormones (Primer pp). A 1996 article in "Contemporary Women's Issues Database" by Terren Ilana Wein suggests that cow's milk may not be good for human consumption (Wein pp). The majority of domestic dairy products contain steroids, antibiotics, and hormones, not to mention the pesticides used in the cow's food (Wein pp). Although BGH, bovine growth hormone, increases milk productivity, it also increases the incidence of mastitis, udder infections, which in turn increases the need for more antibiotics which end up in consumers' milk (Wein pp).
According to a recent audit of Canada's food-inspection system by the European Commission, there are "very serious deficiencies" in the regulatory framework and documents wide-spread use of cancer-causing hormones, antibiotics and other endocrine disrupting substances in Canada's meat supply (Real pp). Both Canadian and European scientists believe that hormone-laced Canadian meat poses a serious threat to the pubic, especially for vulnerable groups such pregnant women and prepubertal children (Real pp). This report come amid growing scientific evidence that highlights the danger of exposing human to hormones (Real pp).
Hormone residues in meat and meat products can disrupt the natural "endocrine equilibrium" which exists within a human body and any disruption of this equilibrium can result in multiple biological effects with potentially harmful consequences for human health (Real pp). The European Commission audit concluded that "in view of the intrinsic properties of hormones and recent scientific findings, Canadian meat consumers are exposed to unnecessary risk from the intake of hormone residues," including neurobiological effects, developmental effects, immunotoxicity, reproductive and immunological effects, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity (Real pp).
However, European fears of growth hormones are somewhat warranted because during the 1980's the dangerous synthetic hormone diethylstilbestrol, or DES, was detected several times in baby food made with veal (Hormone pp). The baby food was manufactured from French cows treated with DES and this reportedly led to various deformities in infants, such as Italian babies growing breasts (Hormone pp). DES was banned in the United States in 1979 due to its link to cancer and birth defects, and the 1980's incidents led several European countries, including France and Belgium, to ban the use of all hormones in cattle (Hormone pp). Those who imposed the EC ban claim that hormones used in U.S. meat causes tumors and genital deformities in children (Hormone pp). Unfortunately, the ban in Europe has led to a black market of hormones available to European farmers, and although most have been proven safe, other contain the harmful, synthetically manufactured DES (Hormone pp). Tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have found traces of DES from recent imports of beef from West Germany (Hormone pp). The United States sees the EU ban as a clear case of unfair trade because since the regulation does not set any specific quotas or tariffs, it can be seen as a non-tariff trade barrier, NTB, and universal tests on the hormones have proved them to be safe to consumers (Hormone pp).
Recent figures indicate an increase in U.S. beef exports into the European Union, however, the industry has already lost millions of dollars worth of potential trade, mainly because more than half of all cattle raised in the U.S. are treated with hormones (Hormone pp).
The reason why the controversy over beef hormones is so great is due to the protectionist nature of the...
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