The European Union supports an army of biotechnological and animal sciences researchers who pushed long and hard to have growth hormones strictly controlled lest it get into the human food chain.

The United states, with its USDA and FDA rules has seen fit to try and say these scientists do not know what they are talking about when they (the Europeans) say that the hormones should NOT be eaten by humans.

This is typical American arrogance. They have many good scientists, world class in fact, but the 'beef lobby' in the USA has PAID Washington off to try and push hormone laden beef into the European Union.

This is unacceptable. Time the EU retaliated and hit the USA where it hurts most, in its technological centre - the INTEL spy-as-you-go Pentium III, with its built in US government spying circuitry would be a good target.

Americans must realise that they are only a market of 250 million whereas Western Europe is almost 500 million.

Nick Kuenssberg, chairman of the Institute of Directors Scotland has asked the World Trade Organisation to help remedy this situation quickly: He said: "Clearly any US reaction like this is of major concern to us. We are meant to be living in a world of free trade so it's very unfortunate when a major player like America uses its muscle to impact on small, niche players."