Morrison: Don’t remove nutritious meat from diet rants and schools need to start by serving a lean cut of beef with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and not remove a valuable source of nutrition that many people are lacking.
OPINION
This commentary was submitted by Erin Morrison, who lives on her family’s beef farm near Belle Plaine, Minn. She is the current Minnesota beef ambassador. She recently gave this commentary as a speech in her regional FFA contest. ❖
THE LAND, MARCH 16, 2012 << www.TheLandOnline.com >> “Where Farm and Family Meet”
MEATLESS, from pg. 5A tion. Other supplements do not provide the same quality of nutrients found in natural meat, and everyone deserves access to these valuable nutrients. Surprisingly, all of these nutrients don’t come in a calorie-high package. In fact the U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies 29 cuts of beef as lean meat because they contain less than 10 grams of fat in one serving. Lean beef that is trimmed contains about 5 percent fat. For some reason the U.S. media doesn’t show many complaints about the fat found in cheese, yet there are constantly reports of the horrible fat content found in meat. If more Americans were to properly choose and prepare cuts of lean beef they could be receiving a great source of nutrition in a low calorie and low fat count. A 2006 United Nations report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” shocked the world when it stated, “the livestock sector is a major player, responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.” They went on to claim that the livestock industry creates more greenhouse gasses than the transportation industry. While many experts have shown this claim to be inaccurate, most Americans have developed some misgivings about the practices American farmers use. The Monday Campaigns uses this misconception to convince people that skipping meat one day of every week will reduce our carbon footprint and lead the world in the race to reduce climate change. If the world is to continue to receive high-quality, nutritious food they should support the livestock industry and not fight it. With research money the beef industry has found many ways to make cattle more efficient, but if the industry experiences a reduction in demand or has a need to fight anti-beef campaigns they will lose resources that could be used for research. The Texas Beef Council reports that compared to 1960 there are half as many farmers and ranchers, but they are feeding a U.S. population that has more than doubled. Farmers and ranchers have found ways to be more efficient with the land and supplies they are given, and they will continue to make improvements in the methods they raise their cattle as long as they have the support of their consumers. Americans should continue supporting the beef industry seven days a week if they want to see improved farming efficiency. Now, one day a week doesn’t sound like anything to really worry about. However, there are 52 Mondays in the average year. With the average American needing 5.5 to 6 ounces of meat a day, Meatless Mondays is encouraging its followers to avoid 286 ounces of recommended meat. Is this a good idea when more than 70 percent of females age 20 and over aren’t receiving their recommended amount of meat daily the way it is? When nearly 80 percent of children ages 2 to 11 aren’t receiving the daily recommendation of meat do we want to worsen the problem by serving meatless entrées every Monday? If our society wants to make a healthier choice one day a week, parents, restau-
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