Protein Power

By Sara Brown
 

“The power of protein in the land of lean beef” may just be one of my favorite product slogans right now. There is so much in the livestock industry to be proud of, including nutritious meat products for consumers worldwide. National Nutrition Month, going on through March, however, is the crunch time to protect our industry as other groups work to give meat a bad rap.

Most people would trust an organization named the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). You would think the organization represented actual doctors and provide a medically sound viewpoint. It doesn’t. In fact, at the bottom of their Web site, it says “This Web site does not provide medical or legal advice.”

PCRM is one of the many anti-meat groups after your children, your schools and your meat. PCRM advocates vegetarian and vegan entrees for the school lunch program, as well as calling an end to USDA purchases of beef, pork, chicken, butter, cheese.

Their Web site is void of any benefits of meat (including fish) or dairy consumption, which is a scary thought when many people are looking for ways to make healthier choices for their children and families.

Agriculture needs to be on the front line of nutrition. Unfortunately misinformation is coming from many sides. What can we do? We can educate our families, our friends and our communities. We can use the facts to dispel the emotional tactics by people and groups who are undermining our health and our industry.

If you raise beef, I recommend you spend 15 minutes on the www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com Web site and learn about the vitamins, minerals and protein in your product. Pork producers, check out www.theotherwhitemeat.com. Poultry and egg producers, www.poultryegg.org; sheep producers, www.americanlamb.com; and dairy producers, www.nationaldairycouncil.org.

Share the information you find with your community. And support factual, unbiased research by going to www.mypyramid.gov.