Did you know that beef smuggling is big business? Beef has become the moonshine of beef prohibition in India. Where they were once free to wander the streets, surrounded by their veggie loving friends, treated like Gods, now they are watching their butts….literally! Estimates say that as many as 1.5 million cows, valued at up to $500 million, are smuggled annually, providing more than half the beef consumed in Bangladesh.
Beef demand isn’t going away – no matter how many people go vegetarian!
And since we’ve all come to an understanding on that, let’s clear up a couple of lies - not myths – big fat lies!
Number 1....Cows are a major contributor to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.
If you have fallen for this BS, it’s ok, you’re not alone. But let’s lay the facts out, in basic every day English: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the entire agriculture sector produces just “6% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.” That is the “entire agriculture sector”- not just cows. And EPA data also show that domestic livestock production is only responsible for 2.4%. I personally think those numbers are a bit high, but for the sake of discussion, we’ll go with them, and save the EPA rant for a later blog. So if we take those numbers, and eliminate them – completely, get rid of ag all the way around – let’s all go vegetarian…oh wait…that’s still ag! And accounts for as much as half of that 6%...so that won’t work.
So let’s get rid of livestock, all of it, including horses – and eliminate that 2.4% - gone….what happens? We still have to eat – and supply and demand laws say something is going to increase in this equation, if one or more sources of food are lost. More people eat tofu, right? And beans…and veggies…and fruits…and all that increases, including more plowing and transporting and fertilizing, and a new vegie utopia, and walla…we’re back up to that 6% again! And maybe even higher, because all those crazy horse nuts are going to go buy a 4-wheeler, and make noise, and pollute the air, and drive more…Ok, so maybe I’m reaching here, but it might happen.
And on a side note - A study in the Journal of Animal Science comparing the methane emissions from grazing and feedlot cattle concluded that grass-fed cattle produce about 4 times more methane than grain-fed cattle. That just puts a whole new stink on that “grass-fed beef is better for you” idea. It sure doesn’t taste better!
Number 2....Eating red meat is bad for you. Seriously? ! If that is the case...it's a miracle the human race is here!
Those pointy teeth in your mouth – those are your canines – to help you eat meat! But, it causes obesity, cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries! Right? Wrong!
Some scientists claim that if our ancestors had not eaten red meats, the brain of humans would be 1/4 of its present size! Our adaptation to red meat and the vital protein and fats it provides, is one of the reasons behind the rapid growth in our intelligence and brain capacity.. without meat we might still be living in the trees eating bananas!
Beef contains iron, zinc, magnesium and protein – lots of each. It is also an excellent source of B-vitamins, such as vitamin B12. A recent study at the University of Pennsylvania, showed that eating lean beef actually improves cholesterol level. (For more information on the study, I’ve added the link.)
And yes, I said lean beef. I prefer that nice marbled beef also – a good piece of prime rib, with a glass of merlot –but everything in moderation. Even the wine!
But don’t fret – there are 29 lean cuts of beef to choose from!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Our government thinks our ag kids are living "sweatshop" lives
In between calls from my daughter, whose truck broke down on her way to school, I dedicated today to getting a paper out, doing my best to ignore her SOS – I know, mean mom, but she has friends. And for some reason, the broke down truck became reason to not go to school, despite the fact that she found a tow and a ride. To be 18 again!
Which brings me to my next label…. Did you know the ag industry as a whole is abusing their kids, and putting their lives in danger daily by allowing them to be on the farm or ranch? We’re right in line with the third world countries, putting our kids through the ag version of sweatshops! The United States Department of Labor is hard at work, trying to fix this apparent oversight that has been going on for 100’s of years. They have proposed regulations that will end this horrible lax in parental judgment that ag raised kids have been unjustly thrust into at birth.
From the Department of Labor website, here is a list of some of the proposed child labor law improvements they are planning:
•Strengthening current child labor prohibitions regarding agricultural work with animals in timber operations, manure pits, storage bins and pesticide handling.
•Prohibiting hired farm workers under the age of 16 from operating almost all power-driven equipment. A similar prohibition has existed as part of the nonagricultural child labor provisions for more than 50 years. A limited exemption would permit some student-learners to operate certain farm implements and tractors (when equipped with proper rollover protection structures and seat belts) under specified conditions.
•Preventing children under 18 years of age from being employed in the storing, marketing and transporting of farm-product raw materials. Prohibited places of employment would include country grain elevators, grain bins, silos, feed lots, stockyards, livestock exchanges and livestock auctions.
So – on first read it doesn’t look so bad. But … The first two – strengthening and prohibiting remains a little vague, and is open for all kinds of interpretations. But moving on to the next, my brother was fortunate to work for a neighbor for several summers, starting when he was well under 16. He was driving a tractor, cutting hay, at age 12.
Some of the basic jobs that “city folk” probably aren’t even aware of, are threatened. Have you heard of “detasseling”? They’ve been doing it in corn country for years – almost sounds kind of kinky! Probably should be banned? And it just may be! Corn growers hire crews, starting as young as 12, to come in after machines have done their detasseling job to walk down rows of corn and pull the top parts of the plant off and drop them to the ground. Ok – maybe not so kinky, but very very dangerous, I’m sure!
Lisa McNeel of Lincoln is one of five brothers and sisters who have worked together detasseling for 38 years. They expect to hire as many as 500 tassel-pullers in their area next growing season.
"I would not hesitate to say that 75-80 percent of our workforce of those 500 kids fall into the 13-, 14-, and 15-year-old age group," McNeel told Journal Star reporters.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking safety! “I’m a safety girl!” – wasn’t that a quote from Pretty Women? ;) What I am knocking, is our Government's apparent understanding of agriculture. They don’t seem to have a clue! Sorry all you kids looking for summer jobs, detassling just is too dangerous!
And you FFA and 4H kids, that college money you make off those market animals just might be over too. Thank God this is Jadi’s last year! Oh wait, she’s over 18 now….child labor laws bedamned, she’s feeding from now on!
Other changes include:
- Teenagers would be prohibited from handling non-castrated livestock older than six months, sows with suckling pigs, or cows with a newborn calf.
- Teenagers would not be allowed to be around livestock in situations where the animals' behavior might be erratic or unpredictable like during shots, dehorning, branding, or breeding.
- They will no longer be allowed to catch chickens to take to market.
- They will no longer be allowed to herd animals either on horseback or on equipment like an ATV.
- Teenagers would never be allowed to work at heights above six feet from the floor, including on a ladder.
And I’m just skimming the surface here…the proposed changes include 100 pages!
So, this is the way it looks. “Honey, I’m just trying to protect you. No, you can not go to the barn, there’s a cow in there, she might hurt you. No, you can’t mow the lawn, you might get hurt. No dear, I love you so much, and the government told me it would not be safe for you to ride your horse on that cattle drive, so you can’t go. No, you can’t go feed! There’s bulls in the pasture! And unpredictable cows. No, honey, you won’t be showing your steer at the fair this year. Mommy is going to show it for you. Won’t that be fun? You can watch from the sidelines and take pictures. No, honey, stop asking…your making me crazy…go sit on the couch and play your video games! I’ll go help your dad cut hay. Maybe you can learn how to cook, the government hasn’t caught on to how dangerous it is to have a 14-yr-old in the kitchen yet.”
On top of the pages of changes, the government hypocracy is rampant. At the beginning of 2011 in Washington, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the National FFA officers, saying, “I would like for you to work with your fellow students and the adult leadership of the organization to develop a series of recommendations around the upcoming Farm Bill that will encourage more young people to pursue careers in farming. Over the next few years we will need 100,000 new farmers and I am looking to you for ideas, guidance and suggestions to help make that happen. If you do this in a serious thoughtful manner (which I know you will do) I will make myself and all of my Under Secretaries available to hear this report. So that we can utilize this information to guide our input to Congress, I would like to have your report to me one year from today.”
And in October in Ankeny, IA, Vilsack shared his concern about the average age of farmers in a Farm Bill discussion, “The average American farmer is 57 years of age. Nearly 30 percent of American farmers are over the age of 65, which is almost double the number of folks in the workforce over 65. Now, some of these folks want to slow down or retire; but they have no one to take over the farming operation. That challenges us to find new ways, through tax policy, through regulations, through our credit programs or other programs, to help transition farms to the next generation. We’ll need a community effort to recruit, train, and support this new generation of farmers and ranchers; and we need to make sure that it’s for operations of all sizes.”
Perhaps we can just move some of these kids right off the couch and onto the farm, when the government deems them “old” enough, and I’m sure all that couch potatoe training will prepare them for a safe and swift career move into agriculture. Once again, our government is obviously a much better parent than I will ever be! "I heard you...your truck is broke...stick your thumb out and hitch hike to school!"
In between calls from my daughter, whose truck broke down on her way to school, I dedicated today to getting a paper out, doing my best to ignore her SOS – I know, mean mom, but she has friends. And for some reason, the broke down truck became reason to not go to school, despite the fact that she found a tow and a ride. To be 18 again!
Which brings me to my next label…. Did you know the ag industry as a whole is abusing their kids, and putting their lives in danger daily by allowing them to be on the farm or ranch? We’re right in line with the third world countries, putting our kids through the ag version of sweatshops! The United States Department of Labor is hard at work, trying to fix this apparent oversight that has been going on for 100’s of years. They have proposed regulations that will end this horrible lax in parental judgment that ag raised kids have been unjustly thrust into at birth.
From the Department of Labor website, here is a list of some of the proposed child labor law improvements they are planning:
•Strengthening current child labor prohibitions regarding agricultural work with animals in timber operations, manure pits, storage bins and pesticide handling.
•Prohibiting hired farm workers under the age of 16 from operating almost all power-driven equipment. A similar prohibition has existed as part of the nonagricultural child labor provisions for more than 50 years. A limited exemption would permit some student-learners to operate certain farm implements and tractors (when equipped with proper rollover protection structures and seat belts) under specified conditions.
•Preventing children under 18 years of age from being employed in the storing, marketing and transporting of farm-product raw materials. Prohibited places of employment would include country grain elevators, grain bins, silos, feed lots, stockyards, livestock exchanges and livestock auctions.
So – on first read it doesn’t look so bad. But … The first two – strengthening and prohibiting remains a little vague, and is open for all kinds of interpretations. But moving on to the next, my brother was fortunate to work for a neighbor for several summers, starting when he was well under 16. He was driving a tractor, cutting hay, at age 12.
Some of the basic jobs that “city folk” probably aren’t even aware of, are threatened. Have you heard of “detasseling”? They’ve been doing it in corn country for years – almost sounds kind of kinky! Probably should be banned? And it just may be! Corn growers hire crews, starting as young as 12, to come in after machines have done their detasseling job to walk down rows of corn and pull the top parts of the plant off and drop them to the ground. Ok – maybe not so kinky, but very very dangerous, I’m sure!
Lisa McNeel of Lincoln is one of five brothers and sisters who have worked together detasseling for 38 years. They expect to hire as many as 500 tassel-pullers in their area next growing season.
"I would not hesitate to say that 75-80 percent of our workforce of those 500 kids fall into the 13-, 14-, and 15-year-old age group," McNeel told Journal Star reporters.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking safety! “I’m a safety girl!” – wasn’t that a quote from Pretty Women? ;) What I am knocking, is our Government's apparent understanding of agriculture. They don’t seem to have a clue! Sorry all you kids looking for summer jobs, detassling just is too dangerous!
And you FFA and 4H kids, that college money you make off those market animals just might be over too. Thank God this is Jadi’s last year! Oh wait, she’s over 18 now….child labor laws bedamned, she’s feeding from now on!
Other changes include:
- Teenagers would be prohibited from handling non-castrated livestock older than six months, sows with suckling pigs, or cows with a newborn calf.
- Teenagers would not be allowed to be around livestock in situations where the animals' behavior might be erratic or unpredictable like during shots, dehorning, branding, or breeding.
- They will no longer be allowed to catch chickens to take to market.
- They will no longer be allowed to herd animals either on horseback or on equipment like an ATV.
- Teenagers would never be allowed to work at heights above six feet from the floor, including on a ladder.
And I’m just skimming the surface here…the proposed changes include 100 pages!
So, this is the way it looks. “Honey, I’m just trying to protect you. No, you can not go to the barn, there’s a cow in there, she might hurt you. No, you can’t mow the lawn, you might get hurt. No dear, I love you so much, and the government told me it would not be safe for you to ride your horse on that cattle drive, so you can’t go. No, you can’t go feed! There’s bulls in the pasture! And unpredictable cows. No, honey, you won’t be showing your steer at the fair this year. Mommy is going to show it for you. Won’t that be fun? You can watch from the sidelines and take pictures. No, honey, stop asking…your making me crazy…go sit on the couch and play your video games! I’ll go help your dad cut hay. Maybe you can learn how to cook, the government hasn’t caught on to how dangerous it is to have a 14-yr-old in the kitchen yet.”
On top of the pages of changes, the government hypocracy is rampant. At the beginning of 2011 in Washington, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the National FFA officers, saying, “I would like for you to work with your fellow students and the adult leadership of the organization to develop a series of recommendations around the upcoming Farm Bill that will encourage more young people to pursue careers in farming. Over the next few years we will need 100,000 new farmers and I am looking to you for ideas, guidance and suggestions to help make that happen. If you do this in a serious thoughtful manner (which I know you will do) I will make myself and all of my Under Secretaries available to hear this report. So that we can utilize this information to guide our input to Congress, I would like to have your report to me one year from today.”
And in October in Ankeny, IA, Vilsack shared his concern about the average age of farmers in a Farm Bill discussion, “The average American farmer is 57 years of age. Nearly 30 percent of American farmers are over the age of 65, which is almost double the number of folks in the workforce over 65. Now, some of these folks want to slow down or retire; but they have no one to take over the farming operation. That challenges us to find new ways, through tax policy, through regulations, through our credit programs or other programs, to help transition farms to the next generation. We’ll need a community effort to recruit, train, and support this new generation of farmers and ranchers; and we need to make sure that it’s for operations of all sizes.”
Perhaps we can just move some of these kids right off the couch and onto the farm, when the government deems them “old” enough, and I’m sure all that couch potatoe training will prepare them for a safe and swift career move into agriculture. Once again, our government is obviously a much better parent than I will ever be! "I heard you...your truck is broke...stick your thumb out and hitch hike to school!"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Labels gone looney!
Today is another one of those days where I am reading all of the misconceptions about ag - today's hot spot is the beef industry, primarily in the processing arena - and I have decided I need a venting place...so here I "blog".
Today's "label" is a blast from the past with the horrible videos HSUS shot at a meat processing plant back in 08. The Supreme Court overturned a ruling yesterday on what would have been a duplicate law to prevent abuses, as depicted in the video, from happening. It was really a no-brainer. But the comments and articles I keep reading make it clear that the ag industry hasn't come very far in getting the message out that that wasn't the "norm" for the industry. That was a bad apple!
It's amazing how many newspapers have jumped on that story - ok, maybe not so amazing. But even more amazing is the comments on the articles.
While I'll save the whole HSUS rant for another blog to come soon, I will add that the Pacelle quotes in these articles just take the false "label" a little deeper. I'm floored at how the media continues to use him as a reliable source or support for any argument.
The video that comes with today's ag label was shot in 08, and HSUS did not present that video to authorities for over 4 months. The "undercover" HSUS/meat plant employee took the videos in October of 08. In late January 09, the videos came out. The plant was temporarily shut down, the legitimate/"bad apple" employees were fired, the meat was recalled, fines were enforced, and absolutely nothing happened to the HSUS employee, who was there, and didn't report the abuse for 4 months. Hmmmm.... I don't think that story got covered by CNN!
On a good note...I got some beef rub from the Colorado Beef Council booth at the National Western Stock Show. It has coffee in it. We are trying it tonight, and I'll post the recipe if it's good. :)
Today is another one of those days where I am reading all of the misconceptions about ag - today's hot spot is the beef industry, primarily in the processing arena - and I have decided I need a venting place...so here I "blog".
Today's "label" is a blast from the past with the horrible videos HSUS shot at a meat processing plant back in 08. The Supreme Court overturned a ruling yesterday on what would have been a duplicate law to prevent abuses, as depicted in the video, from happening. It was really a no-brainer. But the comments and articles I keep reading make it clear that the ag industry hasn't come very far in getting the message out that that wasn't the "norm" for the industry. That was a bad apple!
It's amazing how many newspapers have jumped on that story - ok, maybe not so amazing. But even more amazing is the comments on the articles.
- "Of course it was overturned. This Supreme Court cares nothing for humans. why should they give a rat's behind about animal cruelty? Not one bit surprised, and tha's why I'm a vegan. My health has improved greatly since I no longer eat contaminated meat. These poor animals are so full of steroids, hormones, and antibiotics its no wonder we are in a health care crisis! I'm so sick of this Supreme Court, and their lousy decisions that favor only the wealthy!"
- "No problem for me. Red meat is bad for you anyway (except for the prime cuts) so I don't eat it. And if you saw the pictures and videos you won't either."
- “The beef industry in California is responsible for as much greenhouse gas production as all the cars being driven in California. Beef is bad for humans, it gives us heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Beef uses hundreds of times more water and land than other types of meat (such as poultry and pigs and sheep).”
While I'll save the whole HSUS rant for another blog to come soon, I will add that the Pacelle quotes in these articles just take the false "label" a little deeper. I'm floored at how the media continues to use him as a reliable source or support for any argument.
The video that comes with today's ag label was shot in 08, and HSUS did not present that video to authorities for over 4 months. The "undercover" HSUS/meat plant employee took the videos in October of 08. In late January 09, the videos came out. The plant was temporarily shut down, the legitimate/"bad apple" employees were fired, the meat was recalled, fines were enforced, and absolutely nothing happened to the HSUS employee, who was there, and didn't report the abuse for 4 months. Hmmmm.... I don't think that story got covered by CNN!
On a good note...I got some beef rub from the Colorado Beef Council booth at the National Western Stock Show. It has coffee in it. We are trying it tonight, and I'll post the recipe if it's good. :)
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