Tell the FDA: Ban the dangerous meat additive ractopamine

If you’ve eaten meat recently, especially pork, you’ve probably ingested food treated with the chemical additive ractopamine, a livestock growth drug so dangerous that 160 countries worldwide have banned it.¹

But incredibly, the Food and Drug Administration has continued to approve its use here in the U.S. food supply, endangering livestock, farm workers, and our health.

The safety of our food can’t wait any longer.The FDA must ban this dangerous chemical from our food supply once and for all.

Tell the FDA: Ban the use of ractopamine in our food.

It’s estimated that up to 80% of all hogs in the U.S. are treated with this dangerous additive,² yet countries across the globe -- from Asia to the EU -- have banned its use.

In fact, in response to foreign demand for ractopamine-free meat, Smithfield, the world’s largest pork producer, has begun producing livestock without the additive for sale in China. Yet, the company still sells animals fed this unsafe chemical to U.S. markets.³

The effects of this chemical on consumers, livestock, and farm workers are serious. Ractopamine can cause animals to become sick and die, and long-term exposure to humans hasn’t been fully studied.⁴ What’s more, animals fed this chemical can become agitated, short of breath, stiff, and difficult to handle, putting farm workers at risk.⁵

The Humane Society, the Center for Food Safety, the United Farm Workers and others have recently filed suit against the FDA to ban this toxic substance from the food supply.⁶ This is the perfect opportunity to apply even more pressure on the FDA to get this dangerous chemical out of our food.

Tell the FDA: Ban the use of ractopamine in our food.

http://act.credoaction.com/sign/ban_ractopamine?t=3&akid=12608.2525263.1MFziK

Thanks for all you do to keep our food safe.

References:

1. Wayne Pacelle, “Banned in 160 Nations, Why is Ractopamine in U.S. Pork?” Live Science, July 24, 2014
2. Andrew Gunther, “Would You Like Extra Ractopamine With Your Pork, Sir?” Huffington Post, December 5, 2014
3. Elizabeth Holmes, “Smithfield, Americans Double-Hog-Dare You: Can You Prove Your "Ractopamine-Free" Claim Goes the Distance?” Center for Food Safety, May 24, 2013
4. Center for Food Safety, Ractopamine Factsheet, February 2013
5. “Humane Groups & United Farm Workers Challenge FDA Approval of Controversial Livestock Drugs,” The Humane Society of the United States, November 5, 2014
6. P.J. Huffstutter, “Environmental, public health groups sue FDA over feed additive,” Reuters, November 4, 2014

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