Is the manufacture and use of growth promotants safe for the environment?
The production and use of growth promotants is safe for the environment; in fact, growth promotants are environmentally friendly. Impact on land use Because the use of growth promotants improves the efficiency of beef production, there is less stress placed on the environment. The increased efficiency results in more beef produced per cow unit and more efficient use both grasslands and grain-farm acres. As a result, more land is made available for other uses and fewer acres need to be treated with agricultural chemicals. Example: Performance studies document that overall, growth promotants increase feed efficiency by 10 percent and rate of growth by about 15 percent. These performance improvements equate to a 21-bushel reduction in the amount corn required to grow a steer or heifer to market weight. The net result of growth promotant efficiencies is that each year, 3 million fewer acres of corn are required to produce the United States beef supply.
