3,361,596 members
12,339,752 petition signatures
$17,571,785,510 diverted from Big Pharma
If You Liked Bovine Growth Hormone, You’ll love Beta Agonists
While researchers and scientists investigate the cause of our diabetes, obesity, asthma and ADHD epidemics, they should ask why the FDA approved a livestock drug banned in 160 nations and responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown and 10 percent mortality in pigs, according to angry farmers who phoned the manufacturer. The beta agonist ractopamine, a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis, was recruited for livestock use when researchers found the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular says Beef magazine.
But unlike the growth promoting antibiotics and hormones used in livestock which are withdrawn as the animal nears slaughter, ractopamine is started as the animal nears slaughter.
As much as twenty percent of Paylean, given to pigs for their last 28 days, Optaflexx, given to cattle their last 28 to 42 days and Tomax, given to turkeys their last 7 to 14 days, remains in consumer meat says author and well known veterinarian Michael W. Fox.
Though banned in Europe, Taiwan and China–more than 1,700 people were “poisoned” from eating Paylean-fed pigs since 1998 says the Sichuan Pork Trade Chamber of Commerce– ractopamine is used in 45 percent of US pigs says Elanco Animal Health which manufactures all three products.
How does a drug marked, “Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask” become “safe” in human food? With no washout period?
The same way Elanco’s other two blockbusters, Stilbosol (diethylstilbestrol or DES), now withdrawn, and Posilac or bovine growth hormone (rBST), bought from Monsanto in 2008, became part of the nation’s food supply: shameless corporate lobbying. A third of meetings on the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s public calendar in January 2009 were with Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly–or about ractopamine.
In fact, in 2002, three years after Paylean’s approval, the FDA’s?Center for Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Surveillance and Compliance accused Elanco of withholding information about “safety and effectiveness” and “adverse animal drug experiences” upon which ractopamine was approved, in a 14-page warning letter.
“Our representatives requested a complete and accurate list of all your GLP [Good
Laboratory Practices] studies involving Paylean® (Ractopamine hydrochloride), including their current status as well as the names of the respective study monitors. In response, your firm supplied to our representatives multiple lists which differed in the names of the studies and their status. In addition, your firm could not locate or identify documents pertaining to some of the studies. This situation was somewhat confusing and created unneeded delays for our representatives,” wrote Gloria J. Dunnavan, Director Division of Compliance.
Where was mention of the farmer phone calls to Elanco reporting, “hyperactivity,” “dying animals,” “downer pigs” and “tying up” and “stress” syndromes, asks the FDA letter. Where was the log of phone calls that included farmers saying, “animals are down and shaking,” and “pig vomiting after eating feed with Paylean”?
But, not to worry. Despite ractopamine’s dangers and the falsified approval documents, the FDA approved ractopamine the following year for cattle–and last year for turkeys.
According to Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, the “indiscriminant use of Paylean (ractopamine) has contributed to an increase in downer non-ambulatory pigs,” and pigs that “are extremely difficult to move and drive.” In Holsteins, ractopamine is known for causing hoof problems, says Grandin and feedlot managers report the “outer shell of the hoof fell off” on a related beta agonist drug, zilpateral.
A article in the 2003 Journal of Animal Science confirms that “ractopamine does affect the behavior, heart rate and catecholamine profile of finishing pigs and making them more difficult to handle and potentially more susceptible to handling and transport stress.”
Nor can we overlook the effects of “adding these drugs to waterways or well water supplies–via contaminated animal feed and manure runoff– when this class of drugs is so important in treating children with asthma,” says David Wallinga, MD of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
The FDA’s approval of a drug for food that requires impervious gloves and a mask just to handle is reminiscent of the bovine growth hormone debacle.
Like rBST, ractopamine increases profits despite greater livestock death and disability because a treated animal does the work of two in a macabre version of economies of scale.
Like rBST, food consumers are metabolic, neurological and carcinogen guinea pigs so that agribusiness can make a profit.
And like rBST, “Mothers Of Growing Children” was not marked as a visiting group on the Food Safety and Inspection
http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Opinion/bovine_growth_hormone_love_beta_agonists_2501100529.html
just one more reason I am happy to be a vegetarian
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Dean Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Make sure the plants you’re eating are non-GM. Also free of pesticides. Being vegan is safer but not completely impervious to the greed of Big Agra and the corruption in the FDA and USDA. Buy organic and/or grow your own.
Peace and be well.
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Micki Turney Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:20 am
these articles need the share feature so we can put this up on Facebook, myspace etc
Micki
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Geoff Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:23 am
You can anyway, copy the URL, on your facebook comment, “add link”, and paste.
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That is one of the reasons that our family has been vegan for 11 years as well…as I’m sure this stuff also gets into byproducts of animals milk, cheese, gelatin etc…sad really sad.
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What about those of us who are not vegans? Is it safer to buy meat marked as “animals were give no antibiotics or hormones – fed all vegetarian diet” or something to that effect? It implies that livestock were raised without the use of these chemical additives. Is that something we can believe?
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Ann Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:07 am
Cecilia posed a great question I’d like to know the answer to as well. I would assume meat grown without antibiotics or hormones would be safer, but is that a safe assumption?
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Suzie Q Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Probably not, if “vegetarian” would mean GMO grains and the like. Also, according to the Natural Solutions Foundation, “organic” designations are so lax because of changes in federal definitions, only “certified organic” is really safe and that is rare to find. I live out in the middle of nowhere and there are almost no choices in organic or certified organic foods and none in meat. Southeastern Ohio is really backwards.
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On 4/28/2009, I wrote to President Obama the following letter that reads in relevant part: “… Monsanto’s literal GMO attack on the health, welfare and safety of the American Consumer is genocidal in nature and must be stopped immediately. How could you even consider Michael Taylor of Monsanto infamy for your Food Safety Group? Please stand up for the truth. 90% of Soy, 73% of Corn, 87% of Cotton, and 85% of Canola crops produced by the Big Six (US, Canada, Argentina, China, India and Brazil) are GMOs.
Evil forces seek to put their name on the Father’s Blueprint within our Blood crystalline DNA structure, which is of the geometry of Solomon’s Seal, the Star of David. Please reference The Keys of Enoch by Dr. J.J Hurtak Ph.D., Ph.D.
And, Mr. Rumsfeld’s company’s collusion with the FDA back when he was head of President Reagan’s transition team, as described in Jim Marr’s book, Rise of the Fourth Reich, in context to Aspartame (a GMO neuro-toxin), must be held fully accountable for crimes against humanity. Our non-organic food supply is poisonous and Monsanto and others should be held fully accountable.
And now we get hit with this, despite ractopamine’s dangers and the falsified approval documents, the FDA approved ractopamine the following year for cattle–and last year for turkeys and pigs, and only God knows what else.
Please Mr. President we implore you to stand up for the truth. Thank you for your anticipated courage and leadership.
Very truly,
Mark D. Langdon, J.D.
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bree Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 8:02 am
What did Da Bom (Obama) say about your letter??
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I second that. Kathy call me. It is important.
Myra 509-427-4412
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An additional way to register your concern with the Administration: go to the Food and Agriculture section of change.org and vote for the suggestion for change that says “Replace the board of the FDA with independent scientists”. The top vote getters are submitted directly to the appropriate offices, where they definitely get attention (since this is an Administration site). To get there directly:
http://www.change.org/ideas/browse/food_and_agriculture
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Another good reason to eat only organic, grass fed, in other words NON-factory-farmed food-like substances.
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Thats why I eat organic meat, dairy and poultry.
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Education is they key, and not a plea to the team players that elected themselves for they all play for the same team, but to your family, friends, and those who choose to see. The loudest voice in the end is a push back from the well informed who greatly outnumber the few who believe they have control. As Peter Ragnar has said so many times, “Grant no man the power to make you his slave.”
education is the key. Once you are aware, most will choose another path. The danger lies in the uninformed, for they cannot be saved from their own ignorance.
Dr. Susan Duve
http://www.duvewellnesscenter.com
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I only purchase organic pasture-raised meat and dairy products. However, we know there is an attempt to crush sustainable farming by the big agribusiness (Monsanto, et al). Meanwhile, other food standards are being legislatively lowered. A case in point is Issue 2 in Ohio which set up the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. The governor and legislature appoint members, including family farmers, veterinarians, a food-safety expert, a representative of a local humane society, members of statewide farm organizations, the dean of an Ohio agriculture college and two consumers. The state agriculture director leads the panel. Now this a real death panel–the death of your food. Media reporting (Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch) made it appear that it was the PETA crowd objecting, but what this really allows is more crowded conditions for raising the animals, resulting in more illness more antibiotics and drugs, and a lower quality product, and more sickness in humans who consume it.
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Bottom line, folks: this is just another piece of the plan to bring the US to it’s knees – physically, economically, politically. The whole purpose of the Climate Change summit was to redistribute wealth globally. We’ve had our day in the sun, now it’s someone else’s turn to profit and pollute and we get to pay for that with our lives, health, and wealth.
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I quit using pasturized puss – that would be pasturized homogenized milk and milk products to most people – a LONG time ago. Even organic dairy isn’t safe anymore as a lot of those big dairy companies are taking short cuts to save money at the potential risk of our health. I mean why not? The FDA and USDA aren’t going to do anything to them. Heck, the USDA is trying right this very moment to weaken the organic standard. Eaters beware. Grow your own food. Buy organic. And oppose any weakening of the organic standar. It’s getting uglier and uglier out there….
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Why do they pasturized and homogenize milk the first place? Because if they didn’t, you’d see the puss in the milk caused by rBST, etc. So, they kill the bacteria in the puss with pasturization and then homogenize it = grinding it all up so it looks uniform and pretty, so that we will buy it. The fact that cooking milk makes it deadly to humans over time, is of no consideration to them. It’s a dirty business and as long as millions of Americans sleep through this, it will continue to happen. This newest poison doesn’t even surprise me at all.
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I AGREE IN ALL THE ABOVE, MY TIPS: EAT BUFFALO, IF YOU MUST, GOAT YOGURT AND RICE MILK. AND, O’B WAN KNOWS! I JUST HEARD A COMMENT ON THOM HARTMAN’S RADIO THAT FOLKS ARE EATING PORK FOR SEXUAL ENHANCEMENT. OH! WHAT WILL THEY REPRODUCE? YIKES! THIS OVERSTIMULATING ADDITIVE IS EVERYWHERE……
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Now you know why local farms are disappearing, the UN is working feverishly to control farms (and land ownership outright), Either the Senate or Congress proposed the “Safe Food Handeling Act of 2009″.
Bye, Bye unadulterated, wholesome food!
Comercial food is being used as a vehicle for drug delivery. Just investigate who owns “Big Food”.
Grow yer own folks!
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Dear Health Keeper’s Alliance,
I have been a member of your organization for several years and I appreciate you giving us pertinent information about our food supply.
Can you modify your newsletter to be able to sign a petition to the FDA?? If that is unfeasible, would you at least give a phone number, email address and the person to contact so that we can let our voices be heard.
Possibly Care2 or Credo would be willing and able to place the petition on their sites for concerned citizens to sign.
Thank you
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I was raised on a small 2 acre farm, and we ate totally organic..We raised 6 milk cows, 40 pigs,200 chickens,200 turkeys, 1 goat, 1 sheep, 6 ducks,a barn cat to keep the mice out of the grains, and a dog to keep us informed of thieves. ( Unfortunately, coons ate the 6 ducks.) One acre went to garden. We were all healthy, but busy keeping up the farm. How many of you have acreage enough to raise all your own supplies???? KNOWLEDGE and mending the laws and regulations FOR the people, is still the elusive answer. Join the world, and forbid the nasty stuff being put into our food sources.
Good Luck,Good Health to us all.
Rene
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It’s amazing how we are heading toward- only God knows!! I can’t imagine that people are so deceived that they want to poison/hurt the children, just for a profit that they “can’t take with them”. I pray that they will wake up and see, before it’s too late for their eternity.
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Yes, there does seem to be some sort of conspiracy to cause Americans to be somewhat sick all of their lives. Through Ayurveda diest, lifestyle and taking the right herbs for your constitution you can prevent ill health and disease. It is difficult to comprehend at first because we have been so brainwashed and “poisoned” by processed foods, but I have not been sick in 5 years and I don’t go to drastic measures to insure my good health. A few simple rules and wisdom we all know and can do.
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I would like to know if Canadians are subject to the same garbage as the Americans – I know they have different standards – not that either one is better – but I truly don’t know if what our situation is here. Does anyone know?
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We eat venison rather than beef when we do eat meat, but now the FDA has approved an injectable birth control for deer (GonaCon). APHIS has determined it is safe for human consumption as well as any wildlife that may consume deer, but the product stays in the system of the animal upwards of five years.
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