You may read labels stating that the U.S. government doesn’t allow hormone injections given to pigs, but there is something that the FDA approved in 1999 called Ractopamine. According to NPR news, which is where I heard this from while driving, it is given to the pigs in order to get the pigs adrenaline running to produce muscle. David Maren who founded Tendergrass Farms, realized he couldn’t make it known to consumers that his pigs were not only organic, but also didn’t include this drug because the USDA didn’t want to “confuse” consumers.

Hmmm sounds like a cover up to me. It is also being said that the FDA doesn’t really know what the side effects are or how this can affect the consumers that eat pigs that are given this drug. In fact, some pigs grew sick because of this drug, imagine you and me? Well, you have to read the whole story, or listen to it on NPR news. Click on the link below. This is some interesting information that may make you think twice when purchasing your pork chops, carnitas, pork skin, ribs, etc. Do remember that simply because something is Organic or states “organic” it doesn’t necessarily mean it is chemical free, but it is non GMO. In this case, an organic raised pig is ractopamine free.

Works Cited:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/08/14/432102733/a-muscle-drug-for-pigs-comes-out-of-the-shadows