Ractiopamine was new to me recently, but my dad grew up on a farm and always refused to buy milk from cows treated with rBST- the effects on the animals was cruel. rBST free milk around this part of the country seems to be the standard; the only place I remember even seeing milk thatb didn't advertise it was Walmart.

My dad's family didn't raise cows for meat, which might explain the (in)difference to ractiopamine, but fortunately it seems like major producers in the US are trying to get away from it so they can continue to access foreign markets (Tyson pork at least). I imagine it'll take time, but fingers crossed it'll get phased out entirely.

Cows treated with rBST are probably not producing milk that is distinguishable from untreated milk but I oppose it for two reasons.

1. The cattle have visibly lower welfare. They carry heavier bags, they have more frequent infections.

2. The farmers are already in a situation of low bulk milk price and high cost. Margins in dairy farming are frequently negative. This increases cost to try to produce more output per cow, which is a beggar-thy-neighbor approach. If everyone does it, milk prices go down even further.

I don't know enough about ractopamine to have an opinion.

Banned in the EU since 1999.