Consumer concerns about growth-promoting hormones used in beef have been around a long time but a beef specialist tells Brownfield growth promotants continue to be safe. Dan Loy, with Iowa State University Extension, says there has been intense government scrutiny on new compounds developed since DES was banned from use in humans and livestock in 1979, after it was found to be a carcinogen.

Loy says there’s a group of consumers very passionate about their food – and he respects that. Loy tells Brownfield Ag News, “Thirty years ago, right after the DES incident, there was a lot more consumer concern, perhaps even more than it is today. Today, the media is quicker and people can Google things and find out information a lot more quickly but the questions have been there for a long time.”

Loy says there are choices for consumers – that beef sold under the label “naturally raised” or “certified organic” must not have been raised with growth-promotants.

He points out that the amounts of hormones used in beef cattle are very small. Loy says, “The amounts are so miniscule, regardless of the source, whether it’s created synthetically or it’s exactly the natural product that’s produced in the anima –, the amounts are so small compared to what’s naturally produced, what comes from other sources in our food supply, it’s really not a significant health issue.”  For example, beans, bread, peanuts and eggs contain much higher levels.

The FDA regulates hormone implants — and residues of synthetic hormones are monitored routinely by the USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS).

Without growth promotants that improve efficiency and lead to the tender beef that consumers want, Loy says consumers need to know that the price of beef would be much, much higher.

Understanding Hormone Use In Beef Cattle – Iowa Beef Center