Agriculture is one of the U.S's biggest industry. The FDA and USDA are in charge of making sure the food which is distributed is safe to eat. However there have been through the years increase cases of mad cow disease, E.coli and many companies have been found to be improperly housing cattle, pigs, turkeys and chickens. It should be of no surprise that some companies hide the truth of what they put into the feed, or inject into the animals. It should also be of no surprise that sometimes the FDA and USDA turn a "blind eye" to some practices.

For Example:
Genetically Altered Alfalfa. For those who don't know Alfalfa is a plant that is fed to many animals, but mainly livestock. Alfalfa is a legume hay, which promotes growth and development in animals. When I first learned GE Alfalfa was in the works I automatically knew it was a bad idea. Alfalfa works great on its own, to enhance it would probably cause problems. I wasn't too far off in my thinking. Cattle who have been given GE Alfalfa experienced still births.
Despite that fact and the disapproval from many organic farmers; GE alfalfa was given the ok to go through via the USDA. With GE alfalfa approved companies now have incentive ( its cheap) to use GE Alfalfa. What also is concerning is not enough is really known about the effects of GE Alfalfa. If widely used, over time the effects will become apparent and may have an impact on those who consume meat of the animal which was fed GE Alfalfa. The USDA and FDA should of had more research done before passing this product through. The reality is the USDA and FDA are not focused on safety, they, like the rest of our government, are focused on Money.What I find very interesting is Tom Vilsack's statement about the GE Alfalfa and why it should pass: “We want to expand and preserve choice for farmers,” he told reporters. “We think the decision reached today is a reflection of our commitment to choice and trust.”
Common sense says trust the organic farmers not the billion dollar company which wants to just make more money. This passing of GE alfalfa will hurt organic farmers and those who consume organic foods.
Here are a few articles which go into more detail about GE Alfalfa:
GE Alfalfa

Genetic Engineering: Scientists warn of link between dangerous new pathogen and Monsanto’s Roundup

USDA deregulates GE alfalfa; opens door to new era of widespread genetic pollution of crops

USDA Announces Decision to Fully Deregulate Roundup Ready Alfalfa

What an animal is fed and how the animal is treated has a great impact on the development of the animal and on the consumer. When buying meat or dairy products be sure to research the farm or company your buying from. Not only should that company be housing their animals correctly, you as a consumer should be told what feed is given to the animal. Another example of wanting to know what is in the feed would be the recent Arsenic issue. Arsenic has been added to chicken feed for some time. However recent study has shown arsenic in feed does effect the animals meat. Those who consume arsenic can get cancer and other illnesses. According to the FDA not all chickens are given feed with arsenic in it. Meaning some farmers chose to properly feed their animals. The company responsible for the added arsenic in the feed is Pfizer. Added hormones are also another issue when it comes to animal feed.

Here's more on this issue:

FDA says chicken can contain small amounts of arsenic

FDA finally admits chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic (but keep eating it, yo!)

Growth Hormones Fed to Beef Cattle Damage Human Health

EU Scientists Confirm Health Risks of Growth Hormones in Meat

Below I am going to post some videos about the issues I mentioned. I am sharing this to make others aware of what you buy. I am not trying to stop anyone from eating meat, or change their lifestyle. My Goal is to bring awareness to others about the issues we face in the Ag business and to promote humane and natural farming.

You and Your Milk