We’ve all heard of the “turn the other cheek” philosophy, but there comes a time when this method isn’t always the best course of action.  I believe a lesson for the beef industry can be learned from the current situation in the United Kingdom.  Recently reports leaked to the press that UK government advisors were to release a report stating that eating less red meat and processed meat lowers the risk of developing cancer.  This report suggests that consumption of red meat has been linked to higher risks of tumors and cancer in research studies.  The part they forgot to mention is that most of these studies have proved inconclusive in their findings and cannot justifiably say that there is a true correlation between consuming red meat and increased risk of cancer.  Nutritionists from the British Nutrition Foundation have responded to this government report stating that “moderate red meat consumption has positive benefits” and “consumption of moderate amounts of meat makes a significant positive contribution to both micronutrient and macronutrient intakes, without risking any negative health effects.”

Beef and Lamb New Zealand, a large supplier of lamb to the UK, released a statement saying that they will take a relaxed approach to the UK government claims.  Because their market for the UK is mainly a lamb market, which is one of the most expensive of mainstream red meats in the UK, it is considered more of a special occasion product.  They feel that this sets lamb apart from beef making it less likely to be affected by the government report’s claims.

The UK’s leading beef producer organization, the National Beef Association released a response:

The National Beef Association urges the Coalition Government not to rush to judgment on the place of red meat in the diet if it is presented with yet another, hesitant and confused report, linking meat with a cancer.

Its plea comes after yesterday’s media leaks claiming that government was poised to warn the British people that a more cautious approach to the weight of both fresh red meat, and processed meat, in their diet must be taken – otherwise they faced an increased risk of bowel cancer.

“The red meat industry, which embraces farmers, processors, and retailers, will despair if it becomes the target of yet another in a long line of alarmist reports – which later undergo deep reconsideration, and substantial modification, after initial conclusions of been found to be too simplistic,” explained the NBA’s director, Kim Haywood.

The Association fears that another, unnecessary, embarrassment to both government, and the specialists on its Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, is inevitable unless the expected public statement on cancer and red meat consumption properly acknowledges the complexity of the subject and the contradictory nature of the evidence.

To read more, click here.

Situations such as this only emphasize the ongoing need for beef producers, processors, and retailers to share the facts about beef with both the consumer and government officials.  If we do not do our part to tell our story, someone else will do it for us and we may not like what we hear.  So the next time you hear false claims about beef do your part to speak up!

Howdy from the Bluegrass!  You may remember me, the Pennsylvania cowgirl, from an earlier post where I introduced myself as a new blogger for the Cattle Call.  My family runs a small Angus/Hereford crossbred cow-calf operation in south central Pennsylvania.  We keep our calves and feed them out to slaughter weight, selling them locally as freezer beef.  Growing up on a farm instilled a passion for agriculture in my heart at a young age, leading me to become an active advocate for agriculture and the beef industry in particular.

My life has provided me with a variety of experiences and I’m very thankful for that because it has provided me with an interesting outlook on life.  Growing up I showed livestock and horses in 4-H, FFA, and open shows.  I’ve worked at numerous stables breaking colts and exercising horses.  When I was 19 years old I got my Class A CDL and even drove truck for a while. 

It wasn’t until I was 21 that I decided to go to college.  I ended up at Penn State University majoring in Animal Science.  Here I made some of the best friends I’ll ever have and discovered my true passion for agricultural advocacy.  During the spring of 2009, the Penn State Collegiate Cattlewomen chapter was started.  Being involved in this club allowed me to become aware of current issues and develop a deep passion for advocating for the beef industry.

Upon graduation from Penn State, I moved to Lexington, KY to start working on my M.S. degree in Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Kentucky (UK).  Having lived in Pennsylvania for the majority of my life, moving to Kentucky was a big change for me, but definitely the right decision.  I have been fortunate to have friended some great people from the Kentucky agricultural community that make this change a little easier.

Kentucky is a very beautiful state that boasts the largest cattle industry east of the Mississippi River.  The University of Kentucky (UK) and the KY Cattlemen’s Association (KCA) work closely with each other to provide educational opportunities for the cattle producers they serve.  This provides a unique opportunity for me to learn both from agricultural researchers and cattle producers, while helping to educate them about current research and management practices.

I am an active Agvocate on social media and currently also run my own blog, Pearl Snaps' Ponderings, where I talk about many different topics related to agriculture.  I also write a monthly column for an equine publication called Tack 'n Togs.  In the upcoming months I will be a monthly contributor on the Food & Farm Radio Show sponsored by Feedstuffs Foodlinks on America's Web Radio.

As I take over the reins as the new Public Relations Task Force chair and co-editor for the YPC Cattle Call, I hope that I can help to spread the word about beef cattle production.  A major need to inform consumers and elected officials about the real story behind the cattle industry is obvious.  My hope is that by improving upon the YPC Cattle Call blog we will improve upon our efforts to correct misinformation about the cattle industry and give the general public a better understanding of the many different aspects of the cattle business.  This being said, I also hope that we can provide insight into current issues affecting the industry and also give perspectives from producers in the field for our members.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve upon the YPC Cattle Call blog or would like contribute please contact me at jrb5218@gmail.com.  You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter. 

You may recall the recent free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and South Korea that was announced on December 3, 2010.  South Korea has long been a major export market for U.S. meat and with much growth expected into the future.  Beef exports to South Korea have increased over 55,000 metric tons and over $55 million from 2006-2009.  In 2010 alone, exports increased 136% in volume.  Pork exports are expected to exceed $150 million in 2010.  South Korea is currently the 5th largest export market for pork.  The American Meat Institute (AMI) estimates that once the FTA is fully implemented, beef and pork exports to South Korea could increase by the $2 million and result in 26,700 new U.S. jobs.  This added growth in U.S. beef exports has all been due to successful trade talks of the U.S. government and supportive senators such as Sen. Baucus (D-MT).  Due to their success the South Korean market, which had been closed to the US from 2003-2007, was reopened.

At the same time this FTA was announced and being ratified, South Korea had begun to deal with the worst outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in their nation’s history.  The first cases were confirmed on November 28, 2010 and have continued to get worse.  To date, the country has culled over one million animals, mainly pigs and cattle, in attempts to contain the outbreaks of FMD.  That is about 8% of the country’s total population of pigs and cattle.

With all livestock markets closed and the majority of the country’s livestock population under quarantine the demand for imported meat products is bound to increase.  The outbreak caused the prices of both beef and pork to rise.  They are expected to stay on the rise through the high-demand Chinese New Year holidays.

Though the FMD epidemic that has hit South Korea is certainly a tragedy, I believe that this presents an excellent opportunity for the United States to increase beef and other meat exports to South Korea.  This will not only bring more revenue into the US but also create more jobs.  USDA’s Economic Research Service estimates that for every $1 billion in beef exports, over 12,700 jobs will be created.  As the Korean consumers’ confidence in their own beef supply weakens the demand for a safer beef supply will rise. This may lead to new talks between the US and South Korea to allow access for over thirty months beef which currently is still not being accepted by the Korean government.  As we head into 2011, changes in the US-South Korea FTA may be on the horizon and from the way things are looking they can only be good changes for the United States beef industry.

Howdy, my name is Jesse R. Bussard!  I’m a Pennsylvania cowgirl with a passion for advocating for agriculture and the beef industry.  My family owns a small cow-calf operation and raises cross-bred beef cattle that we sell locally for freezer beef.  My life has provided me with a variety of experiences and I’m very thankful for that because it has provided me with an interesting outlook on life.  I grew up showing livestock and draft horses and competing in barrel racing.  Since high school, I spent a majority of my time breaking colts and riding horses for local stables.  I obtained my Class A CDL at the age of 19 and drove truck for a year and a half all the while still working at a local stable training horses.

I am proud of my agricultural heritage.  It runs in my veins.  Even so, my real interest in Agvocacy didn’t start until I and some of my fellow cattle-loving friends decided to start our own

Collegiate Cattlewomen chapter at the Pennsylvania State University.  Through the support of both Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science and the Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association and Cattlewomen we successfully formed the Penn State Collegiate Cattlewomen in the Spring of 2009.  I served as Vice President during the Fall 2009/Spring 2010 year.  After completing my Masters of Beef Advocacy training and learning more about current issues in the cattle industry I developed a deep passion for agvocating to others and haven’t stop doing my part to tell our story yet.

I am a recent Animal Science graduate of the Pennsylvania State University and starting in the Spring of 2011, I will be pursuing a Masters and Ph.D. in Plant and Soil Science at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.  My research will focus on forage crops and livestock grazing systems.  As I move onto a new chapter in my life I hope to continue to be an active member of the beef industry and agvocate for our industry whenever possible.  I plan on becoming involved with the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and hope to help with extension events to educate cattle producers about current research and management practices.  I hope that by becoming a YPC Cattle Call blogger I will be able to provide some insight into current issues in our industry and also give perspective into issues related to my specific areas of interest, such as animal nutrition, forage crops, grazing issues, and ag policy.

Thanks for this opportunity.  And until we meet again, Happy Trails!

~ Jesse R. Bussard