News Update
Jan. 31, 2011

NCBA: Lean Beef Ideal for Nutrient Dense Diet

Today, Jan. 31, 2011, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines create the foundation of the nation’s nutrition policy and are updated every five years. Specifically, the guidelines recommend Americans establish a nutrient dense diet. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said during today’s announcement that “not every calorie is the same.”

Texas medical doctor and cattleman Richard Thorpe said lean beef contributes to a well- balanced, nutrient dense diet.

“When reading these guidelines, consumers need to realize that protein-packed lean beef accompanied by an increase in fruits and vegetables translates into a healthy choice. These guidelines reinforce the fact that Americans are over fed, yet undernourished,” said Thorpe on behalf of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). “Lean beef is a nutrient-rich food that, on average, provides 10 essential nutrients provided in only 154 calories. The guidelines are calling for a well-balanced diet and lean beef is a good place to start. Unless people are heavily relying on fortified foods, it is difficult for average Americans to meet their nutrient needs within appropriate calorie levels without foods like lean beef.”

Thorpe said obesity, especially in children, appears to be a priority of this administration and beef contributes significantly to curbing this epidemic.

Thorpe is one of many cattlemen who invest in the Beef Checkoff program, which allocates roughly $2 million in nutrition research annually. Shalene McNeill, Ph.D., R.D. and executive director, human nutrition research at NCBA, provided more detail about how Americans’ diets have gone off track.

“Given today’s focus on obesity, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee uncovered a striking finding: Over the last four decades, Americans have consumed nearly 200 calories more each day from flour and cereal products while calories from meat, eggs and nuts have remained virtually unchanged,” said McNeill in a statement issued by the beef checkoff.

McNeill said beef is a perfect solution for managing weight as there are 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean, including sirloin, flank steak and 95% lean ground beef. She also clarified the departments’ direction about fish.

“A recommendation to add fish to your diet doesn’t mean you should cut back on lean beef. Both sources of protein offer unique yet equally important nutrients,” McNeill said. “Beef is a leading source of several nutrients including protein, iron and zinc while cold-water fish, like salmon, are among top sources of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.”

“Although presumably unintentional, by calling for moderate amounts of lean beef, USDA may confuse some consumers who assume this means we are over consuming red meat. We agree with promoting fruit and vegetable consumption but there is no reason to make it sound like meat is over consumed when that is not at all true,” said Thorpe. “On average, U.S. consumers eat 1.7 ounces of U.S. beef daily. To stay healthy, we need to eat 5 to 7 ounces from the meat and beans group daily.”

NCBA will continue educating all Americans about the important role lean beef plays in a healthy, well-balanced diet and will work with USDA and HHS to help Americans make healthy choices that include lean beef.

— Release by NCBA.

NCBA’S Cattlemen to Cattlemen at 2011 Convention

Cattle producers unable to attend the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show in Denver, Colo., in early February, can still have a front-row seat during some of the proceedings. That’s because NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on RFD-TV broadcasts two live shows from the event Feb. 1 and 2. The programs will invite industry leaders to take a look back at events of 2010 and predictions for 2011, and feature an exciting walk through the NCBA Trade Show, with a peek at some of the exciting new products and services in the cattle industry today.

The one-hour NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen program for Tuesday, Feb. 1, will broadcast live at 8:30 p.m. EST and feature interviews with leaders of Colorado cattle organizations, including the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Livestock Association and the Colorado Beef Council. Current NCBA President Steve Foglesong, an Illinois beef producer, will share his thoughts of his year at the helm of the organization, while NCBA CEO Forrest Roberts will outline what’s ahead in 2011.

Read more.

— Release by NCBA.

2011 Winter Beef Webinar Series

Alex White, instructor, Dept of Applied and Agricultural Economics at Virginia Tech (VT) will be the featured speaker for the 3rd Beef Webinar sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension and scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15th. White is an ag economist, nationally recognized for his expertise in financial management and finance. Closer to home, White is a very popular teacher noted for his engaging classes and real world problem solving examples. White will be providing a discussion of “ Sound Financial Management for Cattlemen” with a focus on how producers can begin or improve their financial management practices for 2011.

We ask for you to share the information with other cattlemen and check with your local extension office about hosting a group at the office or other location with good Internet connectivity. Webinar information and meeting links will be posted on the VT Beef Extension web page. 

February 15th — “Sound Financial Management for Cattleman” — Alex White

In addition to the Feb. 15th meeting, a future webinar will be scheduled March15. We are search of suggested topics and speakers for these sessions. If you have questions or suggestions related to the webinars, please contact Mark McCann.

— Release by VT Beef Extension.

Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

The premier educational event in Iowa for cow-calf producers has a big event planned next month and everyone is invited. The Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference (CCCC) will celebrate its 40th anniversary of providing timely, accurate and important information to the beef cattle industry. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) has moved its annual convention and trade show to the same date and location this year to help publicly recognize the importance of this event. Iowa State University (ISU) Extension beef program specialist Byron Leu said this year’s conference on Feb. 26 will continue its successful traditions.

“The Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference has been, and will continue to be, successful because it provides information and access to speakers that beef producers have come to expect,” Leu said. “The steering committee does a great job of finding highly qualified and respected speakers in the industry who can speak with authority and sincerity on the topics pertinent to Midwestern operations.”

Leu has been part of the volunteer committee that oversees the conference for 25 years, both on the general committee and as chair of the program committee, and said the event has survived and thrived because of its dedication to the producers and the industry.

“The trade show has averaged 65-70 exhibitors for several years, and this consistency gives attendees the opportunity to hear, meet and share ideas with researchers, other area cattlemen, and industry and agency representatives in one location,” Leu said. “One summary indicates more than 500 different exhibitors have participated through the years.”

In its early days, the CCCC’s presentation and exhibits were production-oriented, Leu said. Now the topics are much more varied, which reflects the changing face of the industry to fewer farms and fewer cattle operations. One thing that hasn’t changed much, however, is attendance.

Of course this kind of programming and history couldn’t happen without dedicated longtime volunteers, like Dale Uehling, Allan Seim, Steve Banyas, Darrell Limkeman, and the other committee members, Leu said. Former ISU Extension area livestock field specialist Cliff Iverson got the ball rolling in the early 1970s with a format and agenda very similar to the CCCC of today. Originally held in the old Ottumwa Coliseum, the CCCC now is held in the larger Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, which allows for more educational sessions and exhibit space.

This year’s conference begins with registration and the open trade show at 7:30 a.m. and the welcome at 9 a.m. Admission is $15, which includes lunch and conference proceedings. No preregistration is necessary. A conference brochure is available at www.iowabeefcenter.org/events/2011CCCC.pdf. For more details on the two-day program including the ICA components, see the schedule at www.iowabeefcenter.org/events/2011CCCCICA.pdf.

— Release by ISU Extension.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.