Tell FDA to Ban Arsenic in Animal Feed!
June 14, 2010
(Updated June 16)
The chickens you buy at the grocery store are given feed with arsenic added to make them gain weight faster. Yes, arsenic—the deadly poison and carcinogen. A petition had been filed with the FDA to remove arsenic from animal feed and the FDA had until June 15th to respond. ANH-USA forwarded the thousands of comments our readers submitted in support of the arsenic ban to the FDA. Thank you all for taking action!
Arsenic-containing compounds are most widely used in chicken production, and most chickens receive arsenic–“fortified” feed. Most arsenic-containing animal feed additives are not used to treat sickness. Instead, these additives are commonly used in poultry production to induce faster weight gain and give the meat a healthy-looking color; the same techniques are used to a lesser extent in turkeys and hogs.
Last December, the Center for Food Safety and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration calling for the immediate withdrawal of approvals for arsenic-containing compounds used in animal feed. The petition was supported by a coalition of food and farm groups around the country.
Arsenic is powerful carcinogen. The government knows this; they state openly that “the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that inorganic arsenic is carcinogenic to humans.” And it is now well known that these feed additives lead to arsenic residue both in conventionally raised chickens—that is, chickens sold in supermarkets and restaurants across the country—and in the environment, putting our health at risk.
Just two weeks ago in The Pulse of Natural Health, we discussed the safety of nutritional supplements, and how trace amounts of arsenic and lead get into herbal supplements because the metals occur naturally in air, water, soil, and food. How much more ironic is it that arsenic, in far greater amounts, is being added to our food, with no public outcry, no mention in the conventional media (compared to the dramatic headlines over the trace metals in supplements)—and worst of all, no action whatsoever from the FDA, our supposed “watchdog” agency!
In fact, it would be shocking if the FDA did take any positive action—its pattern is to support big business and the pharmaceutical industry in particular no matter the cost to public health.
Case in point: In 2008, the FDA issued a rule that banned the widespread use of a class of powerful antibiotics—specifically, cephalosporin antimicrobial drugs—in food-producing animals. In July of last year, they even called the practice “a public health risk.” Then, last December, they reversed their decision, bowing to pressure from agriculture groups and pharmaceutical makers, who claimed that the antibiotics are needed to prevent many infectious diseases in animals.
“Needed”? On the contrary: public health officials and the American Medical Association are worried that excessive use of antibiotics—including in animals—can promote resistance and produce strains of bacteria that threaten human life. And even the FDA’s director of veterinary drugs, Steven Vaughn, told a conference that that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming more common in cattle.
But back to arsenic. For many years, pressure-treated lumber was coated with a preservative that contained arsenic to keep it from rotting. It was used for foundations and decks and playground equipment, wherever wood is exposed to earth and weather. But the wood treatment industry and the Environmental Protection Agency finally reached the commonsense conclusion that the best way to protect kids from arsenic wood was not to affix a “Poison!” label to it, but to eliminate it altogether, and in 2004 the substance was banned. In many cases, kids’ playgrounds had to be replaced, and many public decking areas had to be rebuilt. So the government thinks it’s too dangerous for kids to play around arsenic-treated wood, but the FDA says it’s OK to put it in feed—that is, directly into our own food supply? How does that make any sense?
It is true that the EPA and the FDA often disagree. For example, the EPA says that five micrograms per liter of blood in a 132-pound woman is the maximum amount of mercury she can have in her system and still be considered healthy and nontoxic. The FDA has not issued any advisory on maximum mercury levels, and seems entirely unconcerned about the mercury that children (and adults, including pregnant women) get in their flu shot. Mercury, of course, is one of the most toxic-heavy metals and causes fainting spells, nausea, intermittent stomach upset, headaches, fatigue, abnormal hair loss, and trouble concentrating, among other damage.
If you eat sick foods you become sick. Remove arsenic from animal feed, or remove it from the dinner table.
Ridiculous that this is happening.We eat organic, so I hope that they do not have arsenic
in them also.
If they do, then we will not be able to have any poultry, just vegetables and fruit that is organic.
No additives,chemicals, arsenic, or anything like that in my foods at all.
How would the people in the agriculture dept. that inspect the chickens ,and so on like
to eat arsenic,and chemicals themselves?
Stop the chemicals,coloring,and all additives in the foods.
Come now stop the poison in our animals food , What have we come to do we need a dept. that approves poison for food approves all bad medicine bans all good medicene and herbs,and vitamins and forbeds all unaproved practices doctors can do any thing but practice it would be lauphable if it was some place else ho ho ho heeeee
Why in the world do we have the FDA if it doesnt even try to protect the American people.??? or just dont understand why the government isnt doing its job to protect our children from dying from cancer worse. hum i wonder how much the FDA is getting paid to smug the rules
FDA was formed by dr’s lobbying congress because back then folk didnt go to the dr. unless they were deathly ill. Its a money and power racket…that’s all it ever was. Now it along with the EPA is being used for population control and to destroy us from within. FDA is the biggest reason our Healthcare is so expensive, that along with patients suing and these liberal judges awarding ungodly settlements. NOT A WORD in the ’so-called reform bill’ about lawsuit reform!! NOT EVEN 1 WORD. Its a scam. America could possibly be saved if we do away completely with FDA,EPA,CIA,CFR,Federal Reserve and Southern Poverty Law Center. These subversive groups are run by greedy America hating Communist’s. But that’s not going to happen so theres no hope for stopping the inevitable demise thats coming at us. Weve been taken over people and it happened a long time ago. JFK was murdered by the REAL govt. The ones we don’t see. FDA IS ENEMY WITHIN AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AS SUCH. All other countries are without an FDA, and are much MUCH Better off.
Are Kosher chickens also given Arsenic feed?
6/16/10
RE: To all who read,
I have been reading up on organic foods & all the food adulterations that are put in them for
the last 45yrs. What our dear (Government) is doing is KILLING the american public a little bit at a
time doing such things as: Oking all the ;chemicals that are in 99% of the food in the stores.
The Chemical & Drug companies are (ALL) in bed with the EPA & the FDA along with the Dept
of Agriculture. This is really one HELL of a combination & it (= DEATH). Most people are brain-
washed into thinking that , (The government is here to PROTECT us). The real truth is they want
to get rid of (ALL) organic foods & also your own gardens along with good supplements. If
you put your life in government hands, (Believe this, YOU’RE DEAD) John R Stockhausen
John R Stockhausen, You are so right! How do you avoid these toxins. Even organic products contain them…
please advise.
thanks!
Miriam
Just as the MMS has had the enforcement division separated from the Mineral Management Service administration (and political appointments–due to the Gulf oil spill); all federal and state agencies need to have separate divisions of enforcement–whose only job is to enforce the agency laws as established by Congress.
Did you know that all enforcement officers have the power of “discretion” on whether to enforce the laws of that agency–or to look the other way? Unless and until each agency (state and federal) actually enforces the food safety and environmental laws of the USA–we all are at risk–and the agencies are responsible for the growth of adverse human health and deaths! It that serious–and only we can stop it. Contact your Congress members now and demand that the EPA, FDA, USDA and other agencies separate enforcement divisions and hold them accountable when we have toxic food contamination, oil spills, dioxins in milk from pasture land applied sewage sludge or arsenic is used to speed up the weight gain for poultry, cattle and hogs. Were you also aware that dead animals are sent to rendering plants and cooked for addition to animal feed? We have turned herbivores into carniverous animals and it is showing up in the quality of our own food supply! Get mad, get on the phone, your computer and tell your House or Senate representative what you want to happen—NOW! Without your voice and mine–it will never change.
The FDA should not even have to be petitioned to ban this. It should be automatic!!
How does anybody justify the safey of human beings by adding poisoning to foods to animals for thier health the the human being who consume them? I just don’ t get it?
The chemists and the manufactures of feed need to be sued and the Federal government by the people.
I have mentioned on my website the horrific conditon in Okalhoma…..chemicals to fertilize grazing land for animal consumption is loaded with toxic radiation from nuclear waste and the children who live near by are getting cancer and fish are being born deformed…..and nothing happens to stop this huge condition because the bottom line is money and what to do with Atomic Waste…..the people are totally ignored.
It is time to stand up and start punching…..we have future generations who are at serious risk and probably without a leg to stand on, too.
I say, “No.”
WellnessAnswers.org (google.com)
May we all just die now? Oh, I forgot, the drug companies have to get our last bit of money from us and THEN we can die from the poison in our foods. Yum. How close to the line do the companies have to go before someone finally calls them on it? How many people, especially children have to die before something is done? I use to dream that our food would be what kills us and it is happening….but its not the food, its the greed.
The FDA has a whole new name meaning for me and a total loss of respect. These are your children, your neighbors, your country, have you no respect of life at all?????!!!!!
Chemicals should not be used in food. Period! I don’t see why the govt doesn’r realize it is their responsibility to protect the people in these areas.
Shades of Arsenic and Old Lace, we don’t need to have a crazy relative anymore, the FDA will do us in!
Common Sense, is so uncommon!! Even a moron knows that arsenic is a heavy metal poison and should not be included in animal or human food. The FDA could do us all a favor by paying attention to practices like this, and stop messing with trying to ban supplements.
What happened to Obama’s HEALTH and energy reform act?? Arsenic MUST be BANNED from US food supplies immediately!!
Please stop feeding chickens arsenic. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that I have some problems after eating chicken. Can’t they ever be honest about anything.
If arsenic makes the chickens fat, perhaps that is why America is so obese now. Maybe we are getting fat from the arsenic that we eat in our chicken. Please stop feeding our chickens arsenic!
The F – D – A – are krooks with a k they don’t want you to know about nutrients & organic foods without insectisides !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they are in cahouts with the so called life saving drugs that the F- D – A- knowws might probably K I L L !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!They know 2 3 years in advance some pills are dangerous but don’t care about health really !!!MONEY MONEY MONEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i’VE BEEN ON VITAMIN’S MINERAL’S SINCE 1967 WITH DR, FRAULO 1′ST THEN DR. SWARTZ & NOW DOCTER BRAVERMAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ONE GIRL WHO I KNEW IN HIGH SCHOOL WHO I SAW 2 YEARS AGO SINCE THE 1950′S IN HIGH SCHOOL ASKED ME “” D O D G E — HOW COME YOUR FACE IS SO S M O O T H I TOLD HER VITAMINS & MINERALS I WENT FROM BEING IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL IN THE EARLY 1960′S TO WORKING AS A ACTOR AND MUSICIAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I WAS IN THE LAST EPISODE OF THE SAPRANOES AND I WAS TOLD I WAS THE BEST BACKGROUND ACTOR !!! FROM FEELING LIKE DYING IN THE 1960′S TO FEELING REAL REAL CONFIDENT & KNOWING I AM SPECIAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JUST LIKE THE DRUMMER SAID ” Y O U CAN’T BEAT IT ” THE F – D – A DO NOT WANT YOU TO TAKE FOOD WITHOUT P O I S O N !! IF THEY STOP VITAMINS IT WILL BE JUST LIKE PUTTING ME IN A E L E C T R I C C H A I R AND PULLING THE S W I T C H !
PLEASE BAN ARSENIC IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY!! WE CANT LIVE WITH IT.
Sincerely,
Sarah Flink
PLEASE BAN THESE AWEFUL PRACTICE IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY. NO ARSENIC!!! JUST REMOVE IT
This is disqusting and irresponsible! I can’t believe this practice was ever FDA approved to begin with. The lives of our children are at stake and that is not acceptable!
Please ban arsenic and any other harmful additions to the food fed to our food. The FDA does very little to protect us these days and people need to start speaking up. Its no wonder we’re all so sick and have fat kids. Our bodies don’t know how to handle the poisons that we are feeding them. We think that because we live in America our food is safe. That is unfortunately untrue.
Is there enough posions and chemicals out there to kill us.If u gave a person arsenic in a glass of water and they died its murder.Whatis the differences here?
The FDA is bought off by big corporations and big pharma. They continue to let things go on that are killing people. We would be in shock if we knew all the garbage and poisons put in our food. Have you read about GMO seeds? How about how congress wants to take our right to buy natural vitmamins and herbs away, let big pharma control it all. Vitamins will become a prescription, giving even more profits to big parma. They will then be all chemicals. This country is nuts! I recently watched “Food Inc”, eveyone should see this. Not only do they give chickens poison, but during processing they are washed in 5 clorine baths. More poison. They want to kill us off, the world is overpopulated.
Big business has done so much to drive small farmers and dairy farmers out of business, now they want to poison the population with arsenic in the feed. If we can’t trust these agribusinesses, then they need to be put out of business and bring back the small farmers etc. They know what good food is about and want to produce that good food, not spend all their time trying to make the immediate profits. Stop the practice of putting arsenic and hormones in chicken and cattle feed to make the animals grow bigger, not better. We are counting on you to protect our food. As it stands now, more people are turning to non-meat products for their total food intake.
Please
Sign the bill prohibiting arsenic from our food supply via chickens and other livestock. thanks Nettie Clarke
I cannot believe I have to ask the government to NOT put something toxic into food. Somebody teach them the science basics called “The Food Chain.”
It would be nice if this article had some actual numbers. How much arsenic is being given per animal? How much remains in the flesh when we butcher it for consumption?
As with all chemicals, the DOSE makes the poison. We allow 1 part arsenic per 100million in drinking water because at that level, there are no measurable adverse affects. If this practice produces significantly higher arsenic content, I would support legislation to stop it. Otherwise, this is fear-mongering and much ado about nothing.
We are being forced to stop eating chicken, and other food for that matter, unless it’s organic. These horriffic practices are leading us to an unhealthy society. FDA needs to eat the products it endorses. Bon Appetit.
Speaking of the bottom line, not unlike many issues of life. Change can come from within the essence of one’s family. Educating, discussions at the dinner table, on what is transpiring in the world. Concerns and options on what we can do by the choices we make. Bottom line, we can voice our concerns. We can take community actions. Hence the growth of organic farming, free range chickens, etc… Instead of mainstreaming, support our local farmers. More can be done. Find out your options. Core strength starts at home.
The FDA MUST ban the use of arsenic in chicken feed immediately. The FDA only exists to protect the citizens of the USA. Allowing this practice to continue is NOT protecting the American citizens. I call for the complete ban of arsenic in feed immediately!
This has been going on for a long time. We wonder why cancer rates have increased, alzheimers rates have increased, weight gain is a problem even for those who try to eat healthy. Why do we let this go on? I suspect money and laziness in those paid to monitor such things. No wonder we are ready to pitch out politicians and clean house both blue and red.
I do not want arsenic, calcium or floride in anything. All are carcinogens and do not belong given to animals or people. Just because we have lobbiests putting pressure on, doesn’t mean the people should be sold out by the FDA.
I wrote my daughter, a 4th year Vet student at U FL here is her response:
It is true that arsenical compounds are added to chicken feed, probably for 30 years or so it’s been the case. Probably all the commercial companies use it. The truth is they are added in small quantities to kill parasites in the chickens, that’s why it promotes growth…not by directly adding muscle but by killing worms in the chickens. It is excreted in their poop almost unchanged and mostly unabsorbed by the chicken too. The FDA does regulate testing the meat to make sure the levels measured in the meat is teeeny tiny.
The real problem isn’t eating the meat, except for organic people, the only real problem is what all the chicken manure is used for. Since that’s where most of this arsenic is, if a ton of manure is used to fertilize a field does that arsenic go into the water supply, etc.
Does that answer your question?
Love you,
Ariel
I like the way your daughter thinks! Unfortunately most people would have been fine knowing it’s fed to them to kill parasites and mostly passes on. Never thinking about where the arsenic goes after it leaves the chicken. There is no justification for feeding poisons/toxins to people or animals, especially considering there are safe alternatives. Wonder why they don’t use food grade Diatomaceos Earth? Someone should ask the demons at Monsanto this question too.
I agree…there is nothing that we can say that will change this. But we can stop buying eggs from the store and start buying from farmer’s market’s and people that may have homegrown chickens and eggs.
Since we know that arsenic is a poison and a carcinogen, it makes no sense to allow it into the food supply just so factory farms can make an extra buck on their poor, toxic, fattened birds. But because this has gone on so long and there is no easy way to draw a direct correlation between human illness and this practice, it is easy for the FDA to ignore it completely. As consumers become aware of the many health and environmental issues that plague this industry, factory farms will either conform to consumer demands or lose their business to organic, free range, sustainable and local alternatives. Since the FDA has forgotten how to do it’s job, that outcome may be the best we can hope for.
Please ban all arsenic in our chickens and any other feed for animals that we are suppose to consume, I personally feel this part of the cause for some of our cancers in our great Americans.
FDA and all other governmental “watch groups”: Please do not only ban arsenic from animal feed and, thus, from human consumption, but also work on restoring our food supply so that it’s actually FIT for human consumption–and not just to make us ill so the pharmaceutical companies can get rich. Please, by now you should be well aware that WE, the American People, are aware of what YOU are doing. We know you are making us sick so giant corporations can become rich off our suffering. What do you feed your family, your children? The same disease-ridden crap? Do you make sure they have every vaccine under the sun, as well as every pharmaceutical drug they could possibly take? Do you care about your health, or the health of your children? IF so, then why aren’t you safeguarding our food supply better? Not only that, but our water supply, our environment? If we don’t take care of our food supply, there will be no one left to live on earth. A person cannot live if the body doesn’t receive the correct amount of nutrition–and by nutrition, I mean REAL nutrition and nutrients, not those manufactured in a lab. As I’ve said before, unless you know about and have entrance to a paradise somewhere where you know you can eat uncontaminated food, drink pure water, and breathe fresh air–where do you think that will leave you? And do you really think THEY will let you in?
Yesterday we found that the Organic food inspector and certification person was indicted for a ‘Conflict of Interest’ as he had stock in or was heavily investedd in the corporations whose food was being certified; now why should be be worried about about arsenic as an allowable ingredient in anything, especially chicken, on the American market? Things are definitely out of control at the FDA if we need to worry about begnign supplements labeled as drugs and toxic meat in our refrigerated counters at supermarkets…in crises economical and environmental, as well as endless war and “medicare” ripoffs. What a travesty our govt. is perpetrating with our taxes…and regulatory bodies.
The FDA is nothing but a bunch of greedy bastards! How anyone involved can sleep at night I will never know! It’s not just arsenic poison they allow into our food supply there are hundreds of other poisons (MSG, Aspartam, pesticides the list goes on and on) They know it’s wrong and it’s causing cancer among many other illnesses, but cancer is a huge money maker for the tied FDA/pharmaceutical companies. I’m sure they feed theirselves and families organic to avoid all the poisons…they can afford to. FDA IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!
For years it arsenic was added to chicken feed to subsain harder egg outer shells. Now we know, that this leeches into their system, hence, into ours (not mine; I do not consume this; yet who knows what is inside the various foods I eat containing eggs in any form. I don’t eat chickens nor meat, yet I do buy organic cage-free, no anti-biotics added eggs. My boyfriend purchased organic, cage-free chicken eggs, yet they were feed whole grains. I recently read that chickens who are lucky to be free-roaming & cage free should be feed a vegetarian diet free from grains. I will shop for this myself. Your comments are from serious animal friendly people & or not, & from people who just want to eat as healthy as they can without added poison.
Ban It! It is insane to allow this. Actually, the “insane” theory could explain alot of regulations today, like the attempt to screw over all who use HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS. Ok, you want to ban healthy things, and allow arsenic?
Stop feeding animals arsenic now. What is the harmful additive doing to our children and adults that we will be paying for in later years? Stop this now.
The FDA allows various poisons being added to all of our food sources and are working on a “cure for cancer” at the same time?! Hummm, they must be working with the drug companies and undertakers too. There’s BIG $$$ going in someone’s pockets and are definately not helping the victims (human and animals) they have created…….
Stop adding all of this garbage and poison to OUR Food and our PETS Food! Yesterday!
What in the world is wrong with so many people, they are so ignorant and selfish in their way of thinking. Money, money, seems to have warped people’s priorities.
I sure hope and pray when I buy our chicken etc., and it says, All natural no antibiotics etc… they really mean it, because I depend on the labels to be true, so I can feel I am giving my family something to eat that isn’t going to end-up in the long run harming our health. Or, is this what these idiots want????
I understan the chickens that we eat are fed arsinic(poison). What is wrong with those who are allowing it ? Even you and your children are at risk. Step up to the plate and do something about it.
Renee
What are we doing??? For those who need the meat – please just don’t buy it! Go organic instead. The information about what goes on people’s plate need to be out – the general public is unaware what they have been consuming!
It is totally absurd that the FDA who is supposed to protect the population from harmful additives would ever agree to put arsenic in chicken feed knowing fully well that it would poison millions of people in this country. It is time the FDA was called to account for violating the very purpose for their existence. They are supposed to protect u, not poison us!!!!!
When will the bottom line stop overshadowing the health of America? How frightening to know our food contains arsenic along with all the other additives and chemicals that is the undermining our health. Please protect us and our future generations by taking arsenic, et al out of our food chain. We must stop making Americans ill from the contaminated food they eat.
Sadly the bottom line has already been overshadowed. At first when I tell people the real bottom line people are shocked into incredulity but please contemplate my answer for a day or so before rejecting it out of hand. For it is the ONLY answer that fits ALL the data we have to work with.
The reason our food supply is contaminated in so MANY ways by so MANY government agencies is simply because the people who control our government health agencies want it that way. I leave it to you to answer WHY they want it that way.