European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes monday october 15,1990�?� hormones in . Beef raise concerns i have to speak out about this beef Issue. Stories have appeared stating that $29 million in subsidies for the next three years will bring a a slightly better Grade b meat to our commissaries. This action is being taken in retaliation for a european ban on hormone penicillin and Corn fed . Beef. The stories also quote two or three . Housewives who say the . Meat is redder and tastes better than the european meat. As a casual observer and one who barbecues year round these Are my views 1. $29 million is an unbelievable amount of Money for a a slightly better product. I can to help but believe that the midwestern cattlemen a lobby persuaded Congress to come to our meat eating Rescue. I Pray that the Dairy and poultry Industry done to get wind of this. 2. Is retaliation the message we want to give to a unifying european Community so now in the name of retaliation ill be paying a higher Price for beef and probably will be further victimized by european efforts of retaliation against . Interests. 3. Concerning redder and tastier meat the beef delivered Here at Raf Wethersfield comes in by chilled carcass no time wasted on defrosting is fresh red and delicious. Quite frankly i imagine i would be hard a cased to Tell the difference Between an american Amburger with Catsup Pickle onions lettuce Tomato and cheese and a european version or the difference Between two to Bones marinated grilled and seasoned with onion Salt and garlic powder. Finally maybe the europeans Are on the right track with naturally fed beef free of hormones and penicillin. If in a not mistaken Isnit naturally fed beef Selling for a Premium Price in supermarkets Back Home sounds like we were getting a Good Deal from the beginning. Along those lines the Cable news network reported that the streptococcal infection that killed puppeteer Jim Henson May in some Way be connected to the fact that american livestock Are Given feed laced with hormone penicillin. This May have helped to produce a super bacterial Strain. I enjoy american beef As much As anyone but lets keep things on a less slanted perspective. A Steve Guerrero Raf Wethersfield England i realize that the decision to Purchase . Beef is a political and economic Issue but i wish to solicit a concise answer to the hormone Issue. Its known to the Layman that hormones Are used to accelerate growth but at what Levels Are they Safe to use and which specific hormones Are used Are they administered intravenously or through feedings Ana How often Are the animals checked for overexposure by the . Department of agriculture do these hormones dissipate through freezing or cooking do they enhance carcinogenic properties already found and is there a difference in using them on Grain fed livestock and grass fed livestock Why do germans largely accept the use of hormones to a beef up their pork and veal but condemn hormones in beef. In masking for this information chiefly to quell the fears of numerous local National housewives who have started to refer to the commissary meat department As Dupont or base. In a verbally assaulted by women assuring me of my carcinogenic future Complete with crossed eyes shrivelled genitals and a shelf life of a use before april 92�?� for my kids. Is it possible to obtain an answer to these concerns not Only from 7th me com but from a qualified spokesman from the German health ministry a Ken South Sec Konheim Germany editors note a we received three replies to these letters. The first is from it. Col. . Slone commander United kingdom Region air Force commissary service anyone wishing to write to the troops in saudia Arabia May do so at the following / $ addresses i c ground any service member j Ujj \ forces operation desert shield j Apo new York 09848-0006 it ship any service member jetty forces operation desert shield or t \ i Fpo new York 09866-0006 letters sent through the european vet Flap it system do not require postage. Simply write maps in Woji Ziffira place of the stamp and omit Flegm \ new York in the final line \ \ of the address. Lul \ commissary policy has always been to a buy american except when impractical due to no availability or shelf life considerations. The circumstances which brought about the decision to go to . Beef while unfortunate allowed the commissaries to get Back into compliance with this policy. The . Beef is a a choices Grade which is the same As sold in Continental United states commissaries and is chilled just like the european beef was. The Price when the subsidy expires will still be comparable to East coast commissary prices. The . Beef has been very Well received by our customers. The second reply is from Peter Paul Hoppe of the Federal German ministry for youth family women and health the use of hormones to Speed growth and or improve production of any kind of Domestic farm animal is strictly prohibited in All member countries of the european Community. Therefore the questions concerning approved Levels of hormones in meats is unnecessary. The use of natural hormones for therapeutic reasons is allowed in certain cases. Those hormones have to be administered in the form of shots. Animals thus treated can be slaughtered Only after a specified waiting period. The purpose of this waiting period is to assure that no traces of hormones Are present in the animal. Freezing and cooking will reduce the effect of hormones present in meats but will not eliminate them altogether. The hormone Des is known to cause cancer. According to German Law All other hormones Are considered a risk As Well and that is Why the use of hormones has been prohibited in the european Community since the �?T50s. The third reply is from it. Col. John s. Fournier chief food Hygiene and Public health division he 7th medical come your letter provides us the Opportunity to answer questions concerning the use of hormones by beef producers in the United states. These drugs Are used to promote growth and improve feed efficiency to increase the rate of weight gain in cattle. As a result of their use a High Quality beef animal goes to Market sooner at a cheaper Price. Hormone drugs exert a positive influence on metabolism either by increasing anabolic processes or by inhibiting catabolism. Feeding grass or Grain to cattle Given hormones should have Little or no influence on these metabolic processes. However the rate of gain will be proportionally higher in any beef animal fed primarily Grain. In the Federal Republic of Germany hormone use for the purpose of promoting growth in food animals i was amused to read in the stars and stripes the article by Robert Barr entitled a which English will it be a i Felt duty bound to put together a Short response. Firstly there is no such thing As a British  the Queens English As it used to be called was the role Model that was taught in British schools. It was not nor Ever has been spoken in the lowlands of Scotland or the mining valleys of Wales for example. One of the delights of the English language is its flexibility of use in respect to local accents and vernacular. The London Cockney the Cornish Fisherman and the Texas rancher All speak English but their accents and is not permitted. In the United states there Are five hormone drugs approved by the . Department of health and human services food and drug administration for use by the cattle Industry to stimulate growth. These drugs Are estradiol-17, progesterone testosterone Zerano and Tren Bolone acetate. The first three Are natural and the last two Are synthetic. Hormones that Are approved for use based on scientific study and that Are monitored by our regulatory agencies involve no health risk. A the hormones Are implanted subcutaneously in the ear of the animal allowing for a a time release of the drug. The ears Are removed and discarded As inedible material at time of Slaughter. Although freezing and cooking do not destroy these compounds the dosage schedule of the hormones is designed so that they Are metabolized by the animal to within acceptable Levels approximately six weeks prior to Slaughter. Generally the synthetic hormone residues Are completely metabolized and the natural hormones Are metabolized to a level no higher than what is normally produced by the animal. As an additional Safe guard there is a National residue program which detects violative Levels and deters improper use by producers. The food safety inspection service Sis of the . Department of agriculture As part of its National residue program collects samples of meat and poultry at slaughtering plants under its inspection authority and from import shipments at the port of entry. The samples Are Analysed for the presence of unacceptable residue concentrations of pesticides animal drugs including hormone Sand other potentially hazardous chemicals that May contaminate meat and poultry. The National residue program is designed to first Monitor the meat Industry for violators and then concentrate on violators through a More vigorous surveillance program. The number of samples chosen by Sis to Monitor for residues is based on the statistical probability of detecting at least one violation 95 percent of the time when 1 percent of the animal population sampled is violative. Sampling is increased when violations occur. Acceptable tolerances for chemical residue drugs Are listed in the code of Federal regulations a 21 car 556 a for hormone use. Hopefully this information will answer your concerns about hormone use by the . Cattle Industry. Rest assured that regulatory agencies Are doing everything in their Power to ensure a Safe product is reaching the consumer. Use of words make them totally unintelligible to one another. Instead of arguing the difference Between British English and american English let us be thankful that in truth neither exists outside the universities so we Are relieved of the Prospect of a a ibo ring single language and i can still engage my american and Canadian friends in amusing debate concerning their accents and spelling. A Tim Moore an englishman abroad Frankfurt Germany a variety spices language Reader says