Thursday, March 27, 2003

Hormones, what hormones?

Sorry I missed sending Loos Lips yesterday. I have been on a whirlwind tour with the Michigan Corn Growers for the past twenty-four hours. Actually I am writing this sitting in the Detroit airport waiting for my plane home. Airports, there is no better research opportunity than this. I repeatedly visit with people in airports about their food preferences and the image of farmers/ranchers. I am here to tell you most do not alter there purchases because of it, but every single person will voice concern about the hormones used in livestock agriculture. The most recent was a guy that owns a construction company. All the concern about hormones used in the beef industry, yet not one single person can tell what hormone it is. What about you, do you know? ESTROGEN.
I had an excellent meeting last night with many of the Michigan commodity organization including Kathleen Hawkins of the Michigan Beef Industry Commission. Today she forwarded this information to me about the truth of estrogen in the food supply. Thanks Kathleen
You are correct when you say that hormones are a concern of consumers. Daily human estrogen production is 54,000ng for girls (before puberty), 41,500ng for boys (before puberty) 480,000ng nonpregnant women and 136,000ng normal adult male. As you know, a nanogram is one billionth of a gram.

By contrast, the amount of hormones ingested by eating beef is minuscule when compared to the amount of hormones produced in the human body daily. For example, 3 ounces of cooked beef (a serving) has 1.2ng (nonimplanted steer) and 1.9ng (implanted steer). Other foods by comparison 34ng in 8 ounces of milk, 908ng in 1 bowl of split pea soup, 993ng in 1 egg, 2,700ng in 4 ounces of cabbage and 35,000ng in a low dose birth control pill.

Michigan agriculture has 125 commodities produced

Speaking of my whirlwind tour with Michigan Corn Growers. Jody Pollok is the executive director of this organization. Yes she does talk fast, but she works harder for her members than she talks. I was indeed very impressed with the drive of Jody and many other agriculture enthusiasts here in Michigan. Many here in Michigan truly want to get in front of the consumers with producers opening dialogue. Developing leaders and spokesmen will be accomplished here and I believe set the standard for all other states to follow in term of coalition building.

I finished my tour with a visit to Nobis Dairy Farm near St. Johns. Man, Larry and Ken Nobis are living examples that it is the “People” that set US agriculture apart. Thanks to all in Michigan and I look forward to my next trip.

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