Will dietary guidelines take beef off the plate?
Dietary Guidelines Update
Update provided in anticipation of new Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report.
Since May 2013, a 14-member Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) has convened seven public meetings to gather comments and review scientific evidence related to dietary health. The committee, which is primarily composed of scientists and medical doctors, was tasked with creating a report with their recommendations for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines are updated every five years as a joint effort between USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Beef checkoff staff have been involved in this process from the start, including nominating eight scientists for appointment to the 2015 DGAC and providing testimony and public comment on beef nutrition research. Shalene McNeill, executive director of Human Nutrition Research, Education and Innovation with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), provided a brief update on the Dietary Guidelines process to attendees at the 2015 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio. Read more.
Dietary Guidelines Recommendations are Misleading
Comment period extended to May 8.
On Feb. 19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA released the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s report. This report is a recommendation to the Secretaries as they develop the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that will be released later this year. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association points out the report is inconsistent and, if adopted, will lead to conflicting dietary advice. On one hand, the Committee has endorsed the Mediterranean-style diet, which has higher levels of red meat than currently consumed in the United States. On the other hand, it has left lean meat out of what it considers to be a healthy dietary pattern.
As announced in the Federal Register Feb. 23, the public is encouraged to view the Committee’s Advisory Report and provide written comments. The comment period has been extended through 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 8, 2015. Read more.
Terry Cotton
Association Perspective
Show off your calves at sale time with more information.
Greetings from the western portion of Angus country. Water out here is the single most-limiting factor in agriculture. For three years now, rain and snow pack have been limited. This winter rain has come, but not enough to build the needed reserves. Saying all of that, bull and female demand, and, more specifically, Angus demand, is no different here than in other parts of the United States.
I’ve received several calls and emails from commercial cattlemen who want to add higher-quality genetics to their herds. Calf prices are the best in several years, and the feeding and packing sectors are demanding known Angus-sired cattle that will meet their quality specifications. Due to the higher calf prices, breeders can and are buying better Angus genetics. Read more.
Calling All Commercial Producers
The 2015 Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show will be Nov. 3-5 in Overland Park, Kan.
The American Angus Association invites you to mark your calendar Nov. 3-5 for the 2015 Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kan. If you are interested in improving the quality of your cow herd, there’s no better opportunity to connect with fellow breeders, attend educational seminars, be inspired by keynote speakers and plan for the future of the beef cattle business.
“This event serves as a meeting place for anyone in beef, from seedstock breeders to commercial cattlemen and feeders,” says Becky Weishaar, Creative Media director for Angus Media and lead contact for the convention. “By attending, cattle producers can take part in many valuable opportunities for learning, networking and bringing their perspectives to the discussion on raising quality cattle.” Read more.
Explore Your Potential
Association offers program designed for young commercial cattlemen.
To meet the needs of future cattle producers, the American Angus Association has launched a program — called Future Angus Stockmen — geared toward college-age or recent graduates who want to raise high-quality Angus-based commercial cattle. It’s intended to provide a fun, educational platform to learn about programs and services of the American Angus Association, network with other cattlemen who have similar interests and potentially earn scholarships in the process. Read more.
Young Farmers’ Top Concerns
Young farmers still concerned about adequate land.
Finding and securing adequate land to grow crops and raise animals was once again the top challenge identified in the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual outlook survey of participants in the Young Farmers & Ranchers program. That challenge was identified by 29% of respondents, followed by government regulations, which was identified by 13% of the respondents.
“For young people who want to begin farming or ranching or expand an established farm or ranch, securing adequate land remains their top challenge,” said Jon Hegeman, AFBF’s national Young Farmers & Rancher (YF&R) Committee chair and a farmer from Alabama. “Another major challenge is coping with burdensome government regulations.” Read more.
Have We Lost the Argument on Animal Welfare?
Livestock producers need to listen to those who don't understand production practices in order to find the means to communicate more effectively.
Has the livestock industry already lost the battle over animal welfare? Dave Daley, a rancher and an educator at California State University–Chico, thinks the war is not lost, but livestock producers have lost plenty of battles. Speaking during the 2015 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, Daley told a Feb. 4 Cattlemen’s College® audience that too many livestock producers forget that communication is a two-way street.
Daley said he’s just like most producers who believe theirs is a noble cause. After all, they raise food to feed the world. Many producers are willing to tell their story. The problem is that most of those same people don’t like to listen.
“You can’t tell [animal welfare activists] that you have a noble cause but it’s none of their business how you do it,” stated Daley. Read more.
What’s Inside …
In this March edition of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, you'll find valuable articles devoted to the management, marketing, and health and nutrition of your beef enterprise. Select from the tabs at the top of the page to access this month's entire offering by category. A few select features include:
- Comprehensive Fly Control
- Beef Talk: CHAPS benchmarks
- Schedule the Breeding Soundness Exams Soon
- Feedlot Nutrition: Provide a Smooth Transition
- In the Cattle Markets: Meat export expectations for 2015
- Documenting Age and Source
- The Right Message
News Briefs …
The American Angus Association and its subsidiaries generate a wealth of information to keep members and affiliates informed of what's happening within the industry as well as with the programs and services they offer. Click here for easy access to the newsrooms of the American Angus Association and Certified Angus Beef LLC and the Angus Journal Daily archive recently made available in the API Virtual Library.
Balancing Work and Life
Learn how to think past the first three dimensions to reach a balance.
Those in the cattle industry wear a lot of hats. Oftentimes, cattlemen lament that they wear too many at one time — those of laborer, manager, owner, father or mother, husband or wife, and more. However, Robin Falkner and Mike Nichols, both veterinarians with Zoetis, said being conscious of the hats worn is more important than the number of hats worn.
All too often, when we step back and evaluate our performance as one of those hats, say a laborer or manager, the distracted performance would have gotten a hired employee fired, Nichols explained. That distracted performance also affects the amount of time spent with family in higher dimensions of thought. Read more.
Food Additives Alter Gut Microbes,
Cause Diseases in Mice
Findings suggest that certain food additives might play a role in the increasing incidence of obesity and chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
The digestive tract is home to 100 trillion bacteria. Collectively known as the gut microbiota, these bacteria help with metabolism and maintaining a healthy immune system. Changes in this microbial community can cause chronic diseases.
A thick layer of mucus separates gut bacteria from the lining of the intestine. A research team led by Andrew Gewirtz at Georgia State University wondered whether chemicals that disrupt this mucus barrier might alter the gut microbiota and play a role in disorders associated with inflammation, including inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome. Read more.
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