First of all, hormones increase tonnage, which creates oversupplies and lowers prices to the producers. It decreases marbling, which decreases grades and significantly lowers the price. This last summer there was a difference between -- over a hundred dollars a head -- between select and choice cattle. This was -- I -- years ago I attended a meeting -- I was on the NCBA grading committee, and CSU presented a paper which proved this.
Lately, the major packers who have all got into the "natural" meat production have found this to be true, too. Hormones also decrease tenderness, which lowers demand. Mainly, though, it lowers our ability to export and compete in what is now a global beef market.
And having traveled abroad, I have
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found that other countries are exceeding the U.S., and that the U.S. is now being viewing as a second-rate beef producing country, because of our hormone use.
§
An example of this is Uruguay, which banned hormone use and raised their exports 7 percent. It raised the price enough that some of their cuts now outsell the USDA choice beef, and this is using grass-fed beef against grain-fed beef.
§I support "naturally raised" claims that include no hormones added, but recommend that a "naturally raised" program be AMS process verified and there be third-party verification. The U.S. must develop an image that is acceptable worldwide. So just simple producer affidavits will not do this. We have to have a strong program that is recognized as the leader in the world. Thank you.
§MR. SESSIONS: Thank you. Howard -- I think it's Howard Vlieger with Verity Farms followed by Michael Smith.
§MR. VLIEGER: My name is Howard Vlieger with Verity Farms. Our program has all of the claims that have already been mentioned, the
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minimum processed and no artificial ingredients added, no antibiotics for life and no hormones, growth promotants administered for life, no animal byproducts fed. |
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