News Update

February 6, 2017

Smoking Beef, Beyond Brisket

For millennia, we humans have delighted in the flavor and mystical seasoning that wood smoke brings to meats. What began as a happy consequence of cooking over open wood fires progressed over time into a means of preservation and ultimately a sinful delight in a gustatory sense.

I could never claim to be an expert in this form of cookery; however, my adventures as a meat-stronaut (yep, just made that one up) have allowed me to connect with those keepers of the flame who would be designated doyens of smoked meats. As a liaison to pit masters, I have had the opportunity to sample and suggest a number of cuts from the beef carcass that have surprised even the most experienced in the subject of smoked meat cuisine.

The most traditional beef barbecue item that comes to mind for the smoked meats connoisseur would surely be the brisket. Simple in structure, affordable and delightfully tasty, the brisket flat (Pectoralis profundus) can offer both lean and fattier portions to satisfy nearly any palate.

Continue reading in the Angus Media news article online

— Adapted from an article by Phil Bass, Certified Angus Beef LLC.

$233,610 to Raise a Child Born in 2015

The USDA released Jan. 9 the 2015 Expenditures on Children by Families report, also known as “The Cost of Raising a Child.”

The report, developed by economists at USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), estimates that for a child born in 2015, a middle-income, married-couple family will spend between $12,350 and $13,900 annually (in 2015 dollars) — or $233,610 from birth through age 17 — on child-rearing expenses.

Families with lower incomes are expected to spend $174,690 and families with higher incomes are expected to spend $372,210 from birth through age 17. Many state governments use this annual report, first issued in 1960, as a resource in determining child support and foster care guidelines.

Read more in the complete USDA news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the USDA.

Group Launches “COOLin100” Campaign

One of the staunchest supporters of mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, R-CALF USA, is launching a new campaign called “COOLin100.” The campaign calls on the new Trump Administration and new Congress to reinstate COOL for beef and pork during the Trump Administration’s first 100 days in office.

The idea to launch the new campaign was incepted after R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard participated in a 15-minute interview in January with Tomi Lahren, host for the cable network TheBlaze, to talk about COOL. The video went viral with over 700,000 views and Lahren’s related “Final Thoughts with Tomi” attracted over 5 million views.

R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Mike Schultz said the rule to “Buy American” was one of the two rules for America that Trump announced during his inauguration speech.

However, at the behest of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Congress in 2015 repealed the widely popular COOL law that required retailers to label beef and pork according to their country-of-origin with a label denoting where the animal was born, where it was raised, and where it was harvested.

For more information, view the R-CALF news release online.

— Adapted from a release by R-CALF USA.

$3 Million for Plant and Animal
Phenomics and Microbiome Projects

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced 11 grants totaling $3 million for Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) projects focused on plant and animal phenomics and microbiomes. The grants are funded through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Food Security Program, authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.

“We are excited to announce these grantees who will be developing novel, high-throughput technologies for plant and animal phenotyping and microbiomes,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Working jointly with the National Science Foundation, we are able to leverage funding and enhance partnership opportunities to propel us into the future of food and agricultural science.”

For more information, view the NIFA news release online.

— Adapted from a release by USDA NIFA.

Globalization of Food Production

NIAA Annual Conferences always address cutting edge issues facing food producers and the industries, agencies and organizations supporting them.

“The National Institute for Animal Agriculture can be counted on for level headed, timely, technical leadership on concerns to both consumers and producers and their impact on their day-to-day lives,” says John Saunders, CEO & chairman of Where Food Comes From Inc., and chair of the NIAA 2017 Annual Conference Planning Committee.

This year’s upcoming NIAA Annual Conference will focus on understanding the challenges of the globalization of food production. This year’s theme, “U.S. Animal Agriculture’s Future Role in World Food Production: Obstacles & Opportunities,” goes beyond the implications of import and export, trade negotiations and political concerns, to include how animals are treated and resources are used world-wide.

The April 3-6 Annual Conference will feature discussions and presentations recognizing that disease traceability, feed issues, hormone and antibiotic use, GMO’s, animal welfare, and sustainability influence world herd health, while market-driven value-added programs and financial trends impact productivity here at home.

For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.

— Adapted from a release by National Institute of Animal Agriculture.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Media.