To: Gordon Brown
Fr: Littia
The issue of using artificial growth hormones in milk production is one currently under debate. The hormone rBGH or rBST is used to increase a cow’s milk production by “a gallon or more a day”(1). Many people debate over whether or not this hormone is unsafe for the consumer. Proponents of using the hormone argue that it “is a genetically engineered copy of a naturally occurring hormone produced by cows”(2). And since rBGH is a copy of a natural hormone found in a cow, it must be safe for the consumer…
Opponents of using rBGH have a different opinion about the safety of the hormone. Since the drug was approved in 1993 by the FDA, farmers and consumers have both requested that producers of dairy products be required to label their products if they are produced with rBGH. There is significant scientific evidence that shows that “when cows are treated with rBGH, significant health problems often develop, including a 50 percent increase in the risk of lameness”(3). There are also findings stating that “milk from rBGH injected cows contains substantially higher amounts of a potent cancer tumor promoter called IGF-1”(2). Also, since the approval of rBGH in 1993, over “40,000 small and medium-sized US dairy farmers, 1/3 of the total in the country, have gone out of business”(2), due to industrialization. rBGH is also banned in Europe and Canada and has been “boycotted by 95 percent of US dairy farmers”(2).
There are arguments against the use of labels stating that a product is “hormone free” or “contains no artificial hormones” because there is currently no scientific way of proving these claims. More and more people though, are moving toward using “certified organic” products for fear of health problems.
One course of action that could be taken is for the FDA to research the possible health effects of rBGH, since they supposedly did not do so when the hormone was first approved. If Europe and Canada have banned rBGH, maybe the U.S. should look into the reasons for their motivation and perhaps follow suit. If consumers are demanding products that are produced without this growth hormone, wouldn’t it be in the best interest of the companies or farms to do so? It may take a while, but industrialized companies/farms can reduce the use of rBGH over time in order to produce a “better product” for the consumer, as well as keep the cows healthier. The hormone rBGH may be responsible for increasing milk production by 10%, but producers of dairy products should be aware of the possible health concerns coming from using this hormone. They should also be “in tune” to the demands of their consumers.
Sources
1. Labeling rBHT milk - Consumers won’t know what they’re missing
2. http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/bgh.htm
3. Center of Food Safety < http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/rbgh2.cfm>
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