Pennsylvania Beef Council - Blog

PBC BEEF BLOG -- MAY 2012

Zach Frazier, 2012 PA Beef Ambassador — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

You may not know but May is Beef Month...

...and we are all working hard to show others that this month is all about the start of summer grilling season. Grilling leaves many options when it comes to preparing your beef, including barbecues, marinades, rubs and so much more.

This weekend we were just at the 2012 National Harbor Wine and Food Festival. We attracted many while grilling and sampling center cut sirloin. It was prepared using a simple four part rub of black pepper, sea salt, montreal steak seasoning, and dark roast fine ground coffee. They were combined in equal portions and rubbed on the night before. Then, the meat was left to brine overnight, and cooked about three hours on the grill at a low temperature. The amount of people who enjoyed the samples was amazing. Throughout the whole weekend two of the National Beef Ambassadors, as well as myself, and a few from the PA Beef Council, worked to help educate consumers about beef. Many were surprised to learn that beef is a great source of 10 essential nutrients, and provides 29 lean cut options with less than ten grams of fat. Some even asked about the different types of beef such as grain-finished, grass-finished, naturally raised and organic. It was nice to see they were interested in learning about how beef is raised. An educated consumer can also be an advocate for the industry, and that is a huge help. While there, we also hosted a beef trivia triathlon with three D.C. area bloggers to test their knowledge of beef. They all competed very well and put up a good fight to the finish with the underdog, Kate, winning.

I can’t wait for summer grilling season, although, we have to get our grill fixed! I found some great grilling recipes on http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, and can’t wait to try them:
     Garlic-Thyme Steak Marinade
     Santa Fe Grilled Beef Steaks & Corn
     Chipotle-Marinated Beef Flank Steak

All these even utilize some of the 29 lean beef cuts. So if you want to make sure your family is eating healthy, study up on the 29 lean beef cuts. Recent research shows these cuts can be part of a heart healthy diet that lowers cholesterol. Memorial Day is approaching fast, let’s use beef as a part of our holiday festivities to make this one go out with a bang. Thanks so much for the support you all give the beef industry!

Read more about additional May Beef Month events here.

PBC BEEF BLOG -- APRIL 2012

Zach Frazier, 2012 PA Beef Ambassador — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Introducing...the 2012 PA Beef Ambassador!

My name is Zach Frazier, and I am from Butler County. Graciously, I have been awarded the 2012 Pennsylvania Beef Ambassador Senior Position, but that position is most certainly backed by my passion for agriculture, and especially the beef industry.

Coming from a small family farm, I was always active in my county 4-H by exhibiting market lambs, steers, breeding heifers, and by serving in various club office positions. Through 4-H, I joined the PA Junior Hereford Association where I currently sit on the Board of Directors. I am actively involved in my local community where I participate in community service projects through my school’s chapter of the National Honors Society. I also enjoy helping my community through working with my 4-H club and educating many young people. In my free time, I will usually be working at the barn with my cattle, hoping to make them better for the next show.

As the 2012 Pennsylvania Senior Beef Ambassador I would like to first and most importantly be someone whom consumers are able to talk to, ask questions of, and receive quality information from. I would also like to be able to work with the Pennsylvania Beef Council to help them further their cause. I would, finally, like to grow as a person to learn more about the industry which has helped me develop into the person I am today. I would not be where I am today without the help of the great people in the beef industry such as those in and around the Beef Council.

PBC BEEF BLOG -- MARCH 2012

Bridget Bingham, Executive Director; Pennsylvania Beef Council — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It was 1968 and the headline was “Green Slime”…a movie sensation!
Fast forward to 2012 and the headline is “Pink Slime” another story sensation!

As you have probably seen in the news over the past three days a beef product called "Lean Finely Textured Beef" (LFTB) has been coined "pink slime" in the media. This sensationalized headline has caught the attention of most of our friends and family. We can see the posts on Facebook and Twitter, over hear the conversations at sporting events, church functions and while sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for an appointment.

Here is what I have learned:
LFTB is beef that is a category of beef products that uses high technology food processing equipment to separate lean meat from fat trimmings. This process yields an additional 10-12 pounds of lean, nutritious beef from every beef animal that can be added to other ground beef products. It's being erroneously reported that this product is salvage meat, that it's from trimmings scooped off the floor of packing plants, that it's "filler" that is substandard in nutrition and safety and more. This is simply not true.

Ammonium hydroxide is ammonia combined with water. Ammonia (NH3) is a compound consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen. Both ammonia and ammonium hydroxide are very common compounds, found naturally in the environment (in air, water, and soil) and in all plants and animals, including humans. Ammonia is a source of nitrogen, an essential element for plants and animals. Ammonia is also produced by the human body - by our organs and tissues and by beneficial bacteria living in our intestines.

At the Beef Industry Safety Summit this past week there were beef industry leaders who met with Dr. H. Russell Cross, Professor and Head of Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University. Dr. Cross was the Administrator of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at the time of its approval. He feels strongly that this product and process is safe and a valuable source of nutrition at a time when we are faced with the growing challenge of producing more food with fewer resources. Those industry leaders left the conversation with Dr. Cross knowing consumers can be sure that LFTB is a safe, nutritious, lean beef product.

Statement From H. Russell Cross, Ph.D.
Professor and Head of Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University

"As Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) in the early 90s, I and my staff evaluated numerous research projects before approving lean, finely textured beef as a safe source of high-quality protein. The FSIS safety review process was and is an in-depth, science-based process that spans years, many research projects and involves many experts across all levels of the agency-and in this case, the process proved the product is safe. Approving lean finely textured beef as safe was the right decision, and today, it remains a safe way to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population. All beef is a good or excellent source of 10 essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins. Finely textured lean beef helps us meet consumer demand for safe, affordable and nutritious food."

Here are some good resources to check out to learn more about this process:
• Food Safety News article
• Pink Slime is a Myth Website - This website was just launched by one of the companies who makes LFTB, Beef Products, Inc. (BPI). These BPI company videos describe the process in more detail (http://www.youtube.com/user/BeefProductsInc?ob=0&feature=results_main)
• Engineering a Safer Burger - This Washington Post article from 2008 explains the history of the product.
• International Food Information Council fact sheet on ammonium hydroxide - In the BPI system, ammonium hydroxide is used to destroy bacteria (in another system, citric acid is used to destroy bacteria). This product is "generally recognized as safe" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and it's used in a variety of foods. The beef is not "soaked in ammonia" as many reports have claimed, but rather sprayed with a "hydrolyzed ammonia" mist to kill bacteria which then evaporates and completely dissipates. According to Dr. Cross, there is no ammonia in the final product.

Additional resources from the American Meat Institute:
• AMI's media statement
• MeatMythCrusher video
• Question and Answers document

Take away information:
• This product is nutritionally equal to ground beef. The process has been used safely for more than 20 years to yield an additional 10-12 lbs. of lean, nutritious beef, from every beef animal.
• LFTB is produced under USDA inspection in compliance with their food safety and labeling requirements and they buy product that includes it as a component.
• USDA ground beef samples testing positive for E. coli O157:H7 have been cut in half over the past ten years while beef produced using this technology has been used at the same time.
• The product is beef and that's why it's not singled out on label as being anything other than beef (even though many media are calling it an "additive").
• Ammonium hydroxide has been used for its anti-microbial effect in ground beef and a variety of processed foods, such as baked goods, gelatins, puddings, and cheeses -- for more than a decade.

I’ll leave you with this thought…it takes 30 seconds to scare people with a sensationalized sound bite, but it takes months or years and lots of $$$ to tell “the rest of the story” that is balanced and factual. It is my hope each of you will help us tell the rest of this story!

PBC BEEF BLOG -- FEBRUARY 2012

Bridget Bingham, Executive Director; Pennsylvania Beef Council — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

National Convention…it was marketed as Get Your “Ticket to Ride” the 2012 Cattle Industry Annual Convention & NCBA Trade Show, and what a ride it was!

The PA Beef Council was there in full force with Darwin Nissley and Diane Hoover, Producer Federation Directors; Kristin Wilkins and Christie Brown, MICA contract; Nichole Hockenberry, National Dairy BQA award; and myself, representing our state beef council.

It was a tremendous time to be from PA. We had a clean sweep in every award category! Logan Bower, Blain, won the Dairy BQA award (the third national winner from PA), Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, won the National Environmental Stewardship Award (the first national winner from Region 1 and PA), Penn State University Quiz Bowl team took top honors and the PA Beef Council was awarded both Federation Program Grants applied for by Kristi Kassimer and Kristin Wilkins.

As first-timers to the event, Darwin, Diane, Nichole and myself were amazed at the crowd of over 8,100 fellow cattlemen and industry partners gathered in one place under one roof! According to NCBA, 2012 was a banner year with a record crowd! The last crowd record was set in 1998 during the centennial convention so it was good to be part of history in the making!

Imagine a sea of cowboy hats and you’ll have the picture of the opening general session on Wednesday, February 1. We all gathered to hear the heroic, emotional and mind-boggling account of Operation Redwing told by the “Lone Survivor” Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal. Marcus bravely shared his account of the events, in 2005, that led up to his rescue from Eastern Afghanistan. Google his name to learn more…simply incredible!

The second general session, “How to Stop the Partisan War that is Destroying America” featured Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic strategist, and Cal Thomas, a conservative columnist. They examine the contentious issues that divide this nation along partisan lines, seeking common ground that can advance the stalemate for the benefit of us all. More like a conversation between friends than debate between enemies, they inspire the audience to find the common ground in their own beliefs, and put aside politics as usual. Liberals and conservatives can work together to put America back on track. The session was entertaining and even light-hearted at times but always thought provoking.

Darwin especially enjoyed meeting cattlemen from other states and learning about their operations. He also said the hotel was awesome, but a real challenge trying to find his way around to the meeting rooms. So, he just followed anybody with a cowboy hat thinking they must be going his way…he said it worked sometimes.

Diane said she was a bit overwhelmed with the facts, figures, new faces and especially with a hotel that required a GPS to get where you were going. She really appreciated what J.D. Alexander, incoming NCBA President, had to say during his opening remarks. He said, “If you are not at the table, you risk being on the menu.” Diane felt that summed up the mission of our industry and cattlemen best.

All of us enjoyed the committee meetings and the business agenda before our industry in the upcoming months. This collaboration of producers and industry partners was nothing short of exhilarating….a fine-tuned machine in motion fueled with respect and dedication. We all left the convention impressed and ultimately inspired by the level of synergy within our industry. So much intellect combined with talent hard at work within the Beef Community! A ride none of us will soon forget!

PBC BEEF BLOG -- JANUARY 2012

Kristin Wilkins, MS, RD; Pennsylvania Beef Council — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Lean Beef and Low-fat Dairy—the perfect way to start the day!

My mother has always told me—“breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” As a registered dietitian, I even know why breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. For instance, I know research has proven many times that you perform better at school or at work if you start your day with a meal. I also know research shows skipping meals, especially breakfast, can make weight control more difficult. So why do so many Americans rush off to work or send their children to school in the morning without breakfast?

Many people use the excuse that they simply do not have time in the morning. To me, this isn’t a good enough reason to completely skip a meal. Set the alarm fifteen minutes earlier than usual and grab a bite to eat. Eating your morning meal will more than make up for those few minutes of lost sleep by making you more efficient in your daily activities.

For me, the reason I used to walk out the door in the morning with just a cup of coffee is because I am not a fan of pre-packaged cereals, typical breakfast meats or worse yet, pop tarts. However, during the past month, with a little planning, I have been successful with eating a hot breakfast on a daily basis. I have also discovered that lean beef, and low-fat dairy make the perfect partner for breakfast favorites such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. I know what you’re thinking…beef for breakfast!?! Trust me – try it, you’ll like it!

And now that there are 29 lean cuts to choose from, you can be sure beef fits perfectly into a healthy breakfast.

My new favorite recipe is a beef breakfast burrito. I always make the meat and vegetable mixture as well as the lime-cilantro cream the night before and store them in the refrigerator. With a little planning, this can be a quick, healthy, delicious way to start the day!

Check out www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com for the beef breakfast burrito recipe and dozens of others featuring that dynamic beef and dairy combination.

http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipe.aspx?id=3907