December 29, 2010

Australian farms exceed required amounts of HGPs

A farm chemical survey conducted by the federal government has found that farms in Australia were providing their livestock more than the acceptable limit of hormone growth promotants (HGPs).

Growth enhancers for livestock were banned in Europe about three decades ago but the use of growth hormones is currently approved by the Australian Federal Government, even though excessive usage of this hormone is known to cause breast cancer, kidney diseases and defects in newborn children.

The study that looked into the synthetic hormones is known as the National Residue Survey and was presented in front of the parliament about a week ago. It was found in the survey that, the urine and excreta of commercially farmed animals had a high concentration of synthetic hormones.

The supermarket chain, Coles, is planning to ban meat that has been produced with the help of growth hormones. The group would not provide such artificially produced meat from the January 1, 2011.

The organisation would become the first retailer in Australia to stop selling hormone induced beef and it has already started to phase out beef that has been produced using HGPs.