Most of us know what growth hormones and antibiotics are – but why are they in our food?
Much like artificial preservatives, antibiotics are often touted as being a safeguard for food-borne illnesses. But antibiotics can do more harm than good when they are given to livestock to replace hygiene and humane treatment.
Factory farms and feedlots are a breeding ground for illness because of improper diet, overcrowding and unclean conditions. Antibiotics are being given to animals BEFORE they are ever sick to prevent disease caused by these unsanitary and unnatural living conditions. In fact, the USDA reported that in 2010, 80% of all the antibiotics in America were given to livestock.
Antibiotic resistance in humans is on the rise and one of the reasons is the antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant strains of viruses that are present in conventional meat and dairy products. More and more people are dying of once treatable staph infections because their body has become immune to antibiotic treatments.
Synthetic growth hormones are being given to dairy cows to increase milk production, as well as livestock on feedlots to increase their size in a faster amount of time. More meat and more milk in less time may provide larger, less expensive steaks, but its also contributing to America’s obesity epidemic as well as hormone imbalance, including early onset of puberty in young girls.
Earth Fare has a full selection of antibiotic and growth hormone free meats, milks and cheeses. Check out one of our farms, Hickory Nut Gap in the video below:
