September 6, 2010

Australian retailer said to promote hormone-free beef

The Australian cattle industry is abuzz with rumours that the Coles supermarket is already buying cattle that have not been treated with hormonal growth promoters (HGPs) and will aggressively market that beef to its customers.

HGPs are widely used by beef producers to boost weight gains in cattle under approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

David Inall, from the Cattle Council of Australia, says while they respect Coles right to make commercial decisions about marketing, they are keen to be part of any discussions on HGPs.

"We've heard unofficially that Coles may be selecting some of their cattle on the basis that they haven't been treated with growth promoters," he says.

"We know that these products have been approved for use by the most rigorous of science-based assessment, and have been tested within an inch of their life, and they pass every test."

Coles isn't commenting on its marketing plans for hormonally treated beef, other than to say it is considering "a range of options to improve the quality of the meat" offered to its customers.

Red meat marketing body Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) met with Coles last week.

A spokesman says growth promoters add AUD210 million (US$193 million) to the Australian beef industry each year, and consumer trust in the safety of beef is crucial to ongoing demand and MLA is reinforcing this with all retailers.