Livestock Growth Hormones: They're Safe

There is widespread evidence that the use of somatotropin or growth hormone to improve milk and pork production is safe. An independent committee appointed by The National Institutes of Health concluded that, "The evidence clearly indicates that the overall composition and nutritional quality of milk and meat from bST-treated cows is equal to that from untreated cows." Similarly, the FDA has concluded that the use of bST presents no increased health risk to consumers. In addition, there is compelling evidence to indicate that somatotropin poses no increased health risk to the ta rget animal. Thus, treatment of farm animals with somatotropin is not only an effective technology for increasing productive efficiency but one that poses no increased health risk for either the consumer or the target animal.