News Update
August 3, 2011
NCBA Recognizes Six U.S. Cattle Operations
For 21 years, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) has recognized U.S. cattle producers for outstanding stewardship and conservation practices. Six diverse cattle operations were recognized as regional Environmental Stewardship Award winners Aug, 2 at the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Kissimmee, Fla. The six operations will now compete for the national Environmental Stewardship Award, which will be announced in February 2012 during the annual Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn.
Sponsored by Dow AgroSciences; the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS); the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF); and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), ESAP recognizes cattle operations that use superior conservation practices to sustain the land for future generations. Candidates are judged on management of water, wildlife, vegetation, and soil, as well as the nominee’s leadership and the sustainability of his/her business as a whole. The ESAP award program is administered by NCF and NCBA.
“The sustainability and economic success of the U.S. cattle industry is dependent on healthy land and resources. And responsibly using and conserving resources is a priority for U.S. cattlemen and women,” John Wallace, a representative from Dow AgroSciences, said. “All cattlemen, not just the six recognized last night, take pride in their conservation practices. But the six regional winners have demonstrated a commitment to innovative practices and should be commended for their efforts.”
The six regional winners are The Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, Pa.; Daigle Farms, Ragley, La., Matador Ranch, Matador Texas; M/M Feedlot, Parma Idaho; Della Ranches and the Tanner Family of Grouse Creek, Grouse Creek, Utah; and the Center of the Nation Cattle Co., Newell, S.D.
Federation Supplies Recipes, Meal Ideas to Help State
Councils Generate More Consumer Attention for Beef
Even with the popularity of the Internet and computer communications, recipe brochures, flyers and other handouts are a key tool in promoting beef locally across the country. Through the state services team at the Federation of State Beef Councils, those types of materials are being created and delivered every day.
“We’re continually working with state beef councils to provide them with the kinds of materials they need, especially ones they use in face-to-face encounters with consumers,” according to Don Waite, senior director of Federation State Services at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
He says tradeshows, fairs and supermarket promotions are just a few of the kinds of consumer events state council staffs participate in that require these kinds of handouts. Some handouts are brochures that contain Beef Checkoff-funded recipes developed in the NCBA Culinary Innovations Center. Others feature nutrition information, also made possible through the Beef Checkoff Program.
Many of the materials can be customized with contact information for the state council. All are provided at nominal or no charge to state councils, thanks to their investment in Beef Checkoff and Federation efforts. They are available to state councils, retailers, consumers and other groups through a web-based store for materials at https://store.beef.org.
“By producing these materials at a national level, we capitalize on efficiencies of scale, while still making sure the materials are appropriate for an individual state,” says Waite.
State beef councils, he says, invest in the Federation through their membership, as well as through investments at the national level through the Beef Promotion Operating Committee.
A recent and unique handout coordinated through the Federation was a small packet of spices that could be used on steaks and hamburgers. The packet, consisting of a proprietary blend of spices created by a family-owned Denver food company, was in response to state beef council interest in having a low-sodium rub that could be distributed within their states. It was coordinated by the NCBA Culinary Innovations Team.
Other materials currently in production by the design services team include “Basics About Beef,” an updated version of a 24-page brochure produced many years ago that covers the nutritional benefits of beef as well as all aspects of buying, storing, preparing and serving beef; “One Powerful Protein,” a brochure that highlights the nutritional benefits of beef while providing several savory beef recipes; and “Holiday Roasts,” a brochure that describes how consumers can celebrate with beef, including tips for preparing the perfect beef roast and containing great recipes for entertaining.
“Consumers trust our recipes because they’re simple, tested and fit their needs today,” says Waite. “Our state partners, meanwhile, know they can count on our materials to fill their needs in communicating with consumers on a very basic level. Good, professional beef materials and good, well-tested beef recipes create good, long-lasting friends.”
State beef councils earn seats on the Federation Board of Directors based on an investment schedule. Through the efforts of these states, the Federation supports national promotion, research and education efforts contracted through the Beef Promotion Operating Committee and approved by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and USDA. It also helps foster a stronger state-national partnership to increase beef demand. Federation State Services produced more than 4.7 million pieces of printed materials for state beef councils and other industry partners last year.
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Tells Scientists and Researchers: ‘Safe Food is a National Priority’
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke today at the annual conference of the International Association for Food Protection about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) ongoing efforts to safeguard American consumers from foodborne illnesses. Recent actions taken by USDA to strengthen industry safeguards are aimed at improving the safety of the food Americans serve their families.
“With more than 330 billion meals served to Americans each year, the scale of the challenge to ensure safe food is enormous, but ensuring the safety of our food is USDA’s top priority,” said Vilsack. “Today, USDA and our federal partners are collaborating more than ever before to improve and modernize the food safety system based on prevention. It is our duty to make sure that producers provide safe food, that consumers and others have the tools necessary to get safe food to their families, and that we're supporting the research and education needed to ensure advancements in the safety of our food.”
Foodborne illness, or food poisoning, is a serious public health threat in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that approximately 1 in 6 Americans —48 million people — suffer from foodborne illness each year, resulting in approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually.
During his first 100 days in office, President Obama created the Food Safety Working Group (FSWG), which developed three core principles to help guide food safety in the United States: prioritizing prevention, strengthening surveillance and enforcement, and improving response and recovery. Since that time, USDA has announced a variety of new measures to safeguard the public from foodborne illnesses, including:
- Announced implementation of revised and new performance standards which require establishments slaughtering chicken and turkey to make continued reductions in the occurrence of pathogens. USDA expects the new standards to prevent as many as 25,000 foodborne illnesses.
- Proposed a new requirement for the meat and poultry industry called “test and hold” that, once enacted, will significantly reduce the amount of unsafe food reaching consumers.
- Launched the Mobile Ask Karen app (m.AskKaren.gov on your phone’s mobile browser), a Web-based smartphone application that brings accessible food safety information to consumers in a new way — via their smartphones. Users can utilize this app at the grocery store, barbecue grill, and kitchen stovetop.
- Proposed a new rule to simplify labeling language for raw meat and poultry products that include injections, marinades, or have otherwise incorporated added solutions which may not be visible to the consumer.
- Launched the Public Health Information System, a modern repository for key data about public health trends and food safety violations at the nearly 6,100 plants FSIS regulates across the country.
- Started an initiative to cut down E. coli contamination, including stepped-up meat facility inspections to involve greater use of sampling to monitor the products going into ground beef.
- Began testing of additional components of ground beef, including bench trim, and issued new instructions to our employees asking that they verify that plants follow sanitary practices in processing beef carcasses.
- Issued consolidated, more effective field instructions on how to inspect for E. coli O157:H7 contamination.
- Worked to make humane handling oversight and enforcement stronger and more consistent. In December 2010, the Department banned the slaughter of non-ambulatory cattle for use in human food, and initiated hands-on, practical training on humane handling.
In addition, in late June, USDA joined the Ad Council, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC to debut Food Safe Families, the first joint public service campaign to help families prevent foodborne illnesses in the home. This campaign reminds Americans to clean kitchen surfaces, utensils and hands while preparing food; separate raw meats from other foods by using different cutting boards; cook foods to the correct temperatures; and, chill raw and prepared foods promptly.
During his remarks in Milwaukee, Vilsack stressed the cooperation between government, industry and consumers to ensure the safety of our food, “No one entity can do it alone,” said Vilsack. “Safe food takes committed researchers and scientists, producers, food processors and retailers. Government, of course, is an important part of the partnership. When food is safe we all win. Americans can feed themselves, their families and others with the confidence that food won’t make them sick.”
The full text of Vilsack’s speech is available online.
Colorado State University Students Receive 2011 W.D. Farr Scholarships
Jessica Igo of Plainview, Texas, and Scott Howard of Ponette, Wis., graduate students at Colorado State University (CSU), are the recipients of the 2011 W.D. Farr Scholarships from the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF). The $12,000 awards recognize superior achievements in academics and leadership and will allow the students to further their study in animal science. The presentation was made during the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Aug. 3, in Kissimmee, Fla.
Igo, a doctoral candidate, received her degrees in animal science from Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. She has been involved in numerous academic and extra-curricular activities throughout her studies, including serving as the coach of the 2011 National Western Champion meat judging team. Her research has included conducting tenderness studies and interviews for Phase I of the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit, as well as coordinating consumer panels and pH and temperature analysis on beef carcasses. She intends to pursue a career as a research technologist in beef quality research and development.
Howard, also a doctoral candidate, received his degrees in animal science from Colorado State University. His research has included prediction of meat quality and tenderness using sophisticated imaging techniques. Howard also worked on the 2010 National Beef Quality Audit and several other projects involving quality of new beef cuts. Howard is also involved in several activities at CSU, including serving as president of the American Meat Science Association Board of Directors. He was named Outstanding Graduate Student in Animal Science in 2010.
“These two outstanding students are very deserving of the W.D. Farr Scholarships,” said Linda Davis, an NCF Trustee and chair of the W.D. Farr Scholarship Committee. “They not only excel academically, but also have demonstrated true leadership qualities and the character needed to stand out in their fields after finishing their degrees. The beef industry will be well-served by furthering the educations and careers of these fine young people.”
The annual W.D. Farr Scholarship awards were established by NCF in 2007 to recognize outstanding students who plan to pursue careers in meat science and animal agriculture. W.D. Farr was the first president of NCF and served as president of the American National Cattlemen’s Association, which later became the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. His career spanned 75 years and included innovations in cattle feeding, uniform beef grading, water conservation and banking. Farr died at age 97 in August 2007.
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