Ask a Dietitian

As seen on BCTV

ORGANIC BEEF

The issue or choosing organic vs. conventionally grown beef comes down to a few key items:

1. hormone and antibiotic use
2. herbicides, pesticides and animal by-products in feed
3. Quality of life of the animals

Veterinary Drug Use:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) enforces standards and policies which indicate the following:
Antibiotics and drugs permitted for use in cattle must
-be effective for their purpose
-be safe for the animal, and
– result in food products that are safe for human consumtion

The cattle must have gone through an appropriate withdrawal period prior to slaughter.
The amount of residue in the animal must meet the Maximum Residue Limit. This is the amount of a drug residue that may remain in a food product at the time of human consumption.

Antibiotic Use:

In order to maintain health, antibiotics may be sued to prevent the onset of seasease, halt its progression or prevent the spread of illness after it occurs. Residues of antibiotics in beef are extremely rare in Canada. If residues were detected, the meat would be prohibited from sale.

A major concern for beef producers and consumers is antibiotic resistance and cattle growers are working with veterinarians to reduce antibiotic use and are taking measures to prevent resistance. If antibiotics were eliminated the cost of beef to consumers could increase 34%.

Hormone Use:

There is no such thing as hormone-free beef. Even beef raised organically will contain hormones because all animals produce them naturally. The hormone levels found in a sample of organic beef are similar to beef from animals given hormonal substances. For a comparison of hormones in beef vs. hormones in oral contraceptives, other foods and hormone replacement therapy go to www.beefinfo.org or www.cattle.ca. The levels of hormones found in beef are too low to be of risk to human health. In Canada the level of synthetic hormones that can be left in beef is zero.

The only hormones used in beef are sex hormones and these are considered safe for human consumption. The safety of hormone use has been reviewed and studied by many experts including the World Health Organization, Health Canada and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Hormone use in cattle results in a leaner meat with less fat deposits, more growth using less feed and reduced cost for the cattle producer and therefore the consumer.

Certified organic beef will never have been given hormones. In order for it to be labeled organic it must meet the standards for production, processing, packaging and distribution as outlined in the national Standard for Organic Agriculture. The key differences in organic and non-organic beef are primarily in the way the cattle are fed and in the use of veterinary drugs. In organic beef production, the cattle must:
Be completely segregated from conventionally managed farms
Receive 100% of their feed from organic sources
Be born and raised in an organic production unit
Not be given growth or reproductive hormones
Antibiotics are allowed for use in treatment of sick animals and vaccines are permitted that target communicable diseases.

Living conditions for both organic and conventional production are similar in that the cattle are allowed free movement as well as access to fresh air, natural daylight, fresh water and high quality feed. In organic production, the grazing pasture must be certified organic, which means no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used. However, these products are rarely used on pastures in conventional production.

Regardless of production method, 94% of all beef- organic or non-organic – undergoes federal inspection. Provincial and municipal programs are in place to inspect the remainder.

The Bottom Line: With the many safety programs and testing procedures in place in Canada you can feel comfortable that beef sold here is safe for human consumption. Still I recommend you do what you are comfortable with for you and your family.

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!