Is it Time to Moo-ve Over to Organic Beef and Dairy?

I don't know about you, but salmonella, E. coli and mad cow disease freak me out! I don't eat beef (and haven't for more than 10 years), but I often get asked about buying organic beef and dairy products.

I've done some research, and here are some highlights on all things cow:
- Buying organic beef eliminates mad cow disease, which is a result of cows eating other cows. The disease causes brain damage and nervous system damage in cows and can be transmitted to humans.
- Organic beef and dairy are antibiotic- and hormone-free. Animals raised organically are not allowed to be fed antibiotics, the bovine human growth hormone (rbGH), or other artificial drugs. The animals are raised in a healthier environment, fed organic feed and often eat a wider range of nutrients than those raised in factory farms.
- You CAN buy non-organic beef and dairy products that are antibiotic- and hormone-free. Just check the packaging.
- Free-range and pasture-grazing animals are treated more ethically. Again, if you don't care about the treatment of animals, this may not be important to you. However, animals that live a more natural lifestyle and aren't cooped up in cages or pens are healthier. You're eating them. You decide if you want to put an unhealthy animal into your body.

So what's the verdict? Risk of mad cow or E. coli is probably low in both organic and conventional meat. Organic may be worth buying if you are concerned about antibiotic use. If you are concerned about growth hormones, there may be cheaper alternatives to organic - read the label.