Ractopamine (Pork & Beef)

Ractopamine is a growth-accelerating feed additive given to pigs, cattle, and turkeys during their final weeks to promote lean muscle mass, effectively acting as a livestock performance-enhancing drug. It is banned in 160 countries, including the EU, China, Russia, and Taiwan, and the Codex Alimentarius adopted maximum residue limits only through a contentious 69-67 vote in 2012. An estimated 60-80% of US pigs receive ractopamine, making it cheaper than the typical rival additive for domestic production. This creates a costly two-tier export system, where US pork shipments to China must be certified ractopamine-free—a clear example of feeding Americans what cannot be sold abroad.