Restaurant owners may feel comfortable calling their meat and poultry "organic" now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the use of the term for meat. Although national standards for organic foods are still are under development, the USDA gave the go-ahead for meat and poultry to carry the organic label. Naturally grown produce and other foods, which are less tightly regulated, already can be labeled organic. Restaurants are not bound by any regulations for labeling foods organic on their menus. However, as with any other claims, the menu description cannot be inaccurate or misleading. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said the ruling was intended to help organic farmers and food producers expand their business while the government develops national organic standards.

Who cares where it comes from? As long as one can GET it!

are we referring to meat for eating, or meat for ...?

The Beef Brief Issues & Trends in the Cattle Industry National Cattlemen's Association February 1995 Meat Is The One Food Group Eaten in Appropriate Amounts Americans eat too much of some foods and too little of others. The one food group eaten in recommended amounts is meat. A study by MRCA Information Services , an independent research organization, shows that on average Americans eat 2.2 servings per day from the Meat Group _ which is within the recommended 2-3 servings per day. (Foods in the Meat Group include meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts.) The MRCA study covered actual food consumption as well as consumer attitudes toward foods. The recent survey report is called "Eating in America Today/Second Edition" (EAT II). The research was commissioned by the Meat Board. EAT II showed that persons in all segments of the population overconsume Fats, Oils and Sweets, and they underconsume foods from the Vegetable, Fruit, Bread and Milk groups. Government and other health authorities recommend that we eat fats and sweets only "sparingly," but actual consumption is excessive. The EAT report notes that Fats, Oils and Sweets, eaten alone or added to enhance the flavor of other foods, add calories without adding other nutrients. While meat is the only food group eaten in appropriate amounts, many people remain confused about meat's role in the diet. Some people believe that substituting other foods for meat will reduce their fat and cholesterol intake, but, the EAT study reveals, there are minimal nutrition differences in diets between self- identified meat-eaters and meat-avoiders or vegetarians. The report also "documents the vast discrepancy between what men and women eat compared to what they think they eat," said Dr. Eric Hentges, director of nutrition research for the Meat Board. Here are additional EAT II findings: -- Both men and women greatly underestimate the numbers of servings they eat from the Bread Group and from the Fats/Oils/Sweets Group. They do not recognize the sources of "hidden fats" in their diets. Hidden fats in the Bread and Vegetable groups contribute more fat to our diets than do red meats and processed meats. Meat contributes fat, but it supplies large amounts of essential nutrients_ including balanced protein, iron, zinc and vitamins. -- Average intake of foods from the meat Group (including meat and other protein sources) is 6.4 ounces per day, or within the recommended level of 5 to 7 ounces of meat per day. Total Meat Group intake includes less than 2 oz. of beef and only 0.6 oz. of processed meat. Many people think their diets would be more healthful if they ate little or no meat. But, in fact, most persons eat appropriate amounts of nutrient-dense beef and other meats. -- Self-identified meat-eaters consume only slightly more meat than self-identified vegetarians and meat-avoiders. While vegetarians are sometimes perceived as eating low levels of fat, they consume about the same level as meat-eaters. Hidden fats in non-meat foods increase fat intake by vegetarians to levels comparable to those of meat-eaters. EAT II is expected to help educators in constructing healthful diets for Americans, Hentges says. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Average Daily Intake Of Foods In the Meat Group Meat Group Ounces Per Day Beef 1.8 Pork 0.7 Processed Meats 0.6 Eggs, Beans 1.3 Poultry 1.2 Fish 0.5 *Total consumption per day, 6.4 oz. Not included in chart - lamb, 0.02; veal, 0.02. Sources: MIRCA Information Services and Meat Board. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Slimmed-Down Beef Is Healthful Food "Beef is back, slimmer and trimmer. . . Today's leaner cuts of beef can hold their own with poultry and many other protein foods." This was pointed out in an article on modern beef in the University of Texas Lifetime Health Letter. The article compares the fat and cholesterol contents of lean beef with fat and cholesterol in lean cuts of other types of meat, including chicken and turkey. "The meat we're buying at grocery stores today is much leaner than what we've been buying in the past," says Felicia Busch, R. D., a Minneapolis nutrition consultant and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Lean beef can be just as low in fat as chicken, fish and turkey." She notes also that beef is a good source of iron and zinc. (Reprinted with permission from The University of Texas (Houston) Lifetime Health Letter.) Environmental Stewardship Award Wildlife Thrive On Idaho Ranch Wildlife as well as cattle thrive on the environmental award- winning ranch of Idaho's Bud and Ruth Purdy. Bud, 77, and his wife, Ruth, 81, were recently named national winners of the National Cattlemen's Association's Fourth Annual Environmental Stewardship Award. The awards are presented to cattle producers who use outstanding conservation practices to improve cattle business performance as well as the environment. The management practices that won the award for the Purdys resulted in improved habitat and conditions for wildlife _ to say nothing of improved ranch productivity. Much of the Purdys' environmental stewardship involves water quality and water conservation. Beneficiaries of their efforts include fish and wildlife. Wildlife populations on the ranch include ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, partridge, willasurd (water birds), curlews, eagles, elk, beaver, coyotes, fox, deer and antelope. The Purdys own and manage the Picabo (Idaho) Livestock Co., a cow- calf business that was started by Bud's grandfather 110 years ago. They were selected for the national award from a group of seven regional winners. Making the selection was a committee representing environmental organizations, government agencies, university scientists and cattle businessmen. "We want to do everything we can, on a voluntary basis, to protect the environment and the lands on which we live and which we manage," Bud says. "We feel strongly that it is the responsibility of the landowner to institute practices that improve the individual's welfare, the public's welfare and the environment. It makes good sense and economic sense for everyone involved." "When I first came, people weren't too concerned about the environment," Ruth says. "But, I soon found out, Bud ran the ranch so that it would last for another 100 years. Back then, we were doing this environmental thing, but we didn't call it that. We were rotating cattle among the pastures." Water management on the ranch incorporates work by beavers. Beaver dams have helped reduce spring flooding and erosion, have resulted in better distribution of cattle on the land, and have kept more water at the upper end of the ranch. To protect water quality and fishing, access by cattle to Silver Creek is limited, and stream banks have been improved. Trees are planted along streams to help lower water temperatures, resulting in a better environment for fish and wildlife. The overall effort has helped preserve gold-medal type fishing along Silver Creek. Sprinkler-irrigation systems were converted to low-pressure, and other steps were taken to conserve energy while pumping and distributing water. More than 30 pipeline systems are used to conserve water and distribute livestock over the range. More than 100 miles of fencing divide pastures and facilitate rest- rotation grazing programs. The Purdys have seeded more than 1,500 acres to legumes and other grasses. They have planted shelter belts of trees, and they have a tree farm of evergreens that are transplanted to areas of the ranch. What Is HACCP? How Does It Work? Discussions of food safety and government meat inspection increasingly include mention of the term HACCP (pronounced hass- ip). Just what does this mean? The American Meat Institute Foundation, as part of a basic manual on HACCP, provides this explanation: HACCP offers a modern, scientific approach to safe food production. The initials stand for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. The HACCP system has been recommended by the National Academy of Sciences and other groups for use throughout the food industry. The system also is recommended as a basis for federal food inspection. HACCP is proactive and prevention-oriented. It focuses on preventing or controlling food safety hazards, including microbiological as well as chemical hazards. The system is most effective when used at each stage of food production, from farm to table. It can be and often now is used at the farm level, in slaughter and processing plants, in storage and distribution facilities, in retail and foodservice establishments, and in home kitchens. Under a HACCP system, a "hazard analysis" is conducted to assess potential safety hazards. Then "critical control points" (CCPs) are identified throughout the production chain. At any CCP, a loss of control could result in unacceptable safety risks. Companies following HACCP programs maintain records to track and document monitoring efforts. These records can be checked by government to verify that the company is carefully controlling its processes and, as a result, attaining desired levels of safety. Industry Has Blueprint for Safety The meat industry has a blueprint that can be used to help manage food safety risks associated with E. coli 0157:H7, a rare but virulent foodborne pathogen. The blueprint, which includes recommendations for both industry and government actions, was developed by a special Meat Board task force made up of scientists from industry and from state and federal government agencies. The scientists emphasized the "need to adopt a comprehensive 'farm-to-table' safety program based on science and risk analysis." Adoption of the recommendations would help reduce risk factors associated with E. coli 0157:H7 in beef, said Billy Lloyd, coordinator of quality assurance for the National Cattlemen's Association. In addition to making specific recommendations for control of E. coli 0157:H7 in nine segments of the meat production process, the task force made the following broad recommendations: -- Implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems in each segment of the food production chain. HACCP is a system to identify and monitor critical control points in the production process. The industry has recommended that government meat inspection be based on HACCP systems in plants. -- Conduct research to gain a greater understanding of the source of E. coli 0157:H7. After determining how E. coli 0157:H7 enters the food chain, develop strategies to prevent and control it. -- Encourage government approval and industry-wide adoption of antimicrobial rinses for beef carcasses. -- Support government approval and encourage further research on irradiation as a means of eliminating any hazardous bacteria. (Meanwhile, proper cooking is still the most effective means to eliminate any pathogens.) -- Conduct research to develop new pathogen reduction/intervention technologies for use at every stage of the process from farm to retail or foodservice. -- Implement national consumer education programs on food safety. While the industry develops and uses new technologies, it must be recognized that meat and other foods will never be bacteria-free. Education is necessary to prevent contamination in foodservice, at retail and in homes. ----------------------------------------------------------------- CHOICE CUT Per Person Expenditures For Meats* Meat Group Dollar Amount Meat $84.39 Pork $60.39 Chicken $37.02 Fush, Seafood $31.42 Consumers spend more of their food dollars for beef than for any other meat. (Data are for food consumed at home. Almost half of all beef is eaten away from home.) Source: USDA *1992, Spending by urban households. POPULAR FOOD Hot dogs are a mighty popular food. Data cited by the American Meat Institute show that U. S. Meat companies produce 1.5 billion pounds of red-meat hot dogs per year. Counting poultry-meat hot dogs also, the meat industry supplies 60 hot dogs per person each year. Hot dog consumption is highest during the summer. Hot dogs containing beef and other red meats are especially high in iron, zinc and B vitamins, as well as balanced protein. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration approved hot dogs for space program use. IRRADIATION PROPOSED Growing numbers of scientists have recommended that irradiation be OK'd for use on beef as well as other foods. The American Gastroenterological Association Foundation endorsed irradiation (similar in concept to pasteurization of milk) for use in destroying any foodborne pathogens in ground beef. Among other groups that have supported irradiation are World Health Organization, and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Irradiation has been shown to be both safe and effective. WE'RE GOOD GUYS Cattlemen are among the good guys in American business. Independent surveys show that consumers describe cattlemen as hardworking, honest and independent people who provide a necessary part of our diets. Consumers give cattlemen generally good marks on the way they produce beef and on the job they do in responding to consumers' wants and needs. In ratings of various industries, consumers ranked the beef industry ahead of producers of other meats and ahead of industries like autos, banking and chemicals. PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH Growth in productivity of the cattle business and other parts of U. S. agriculture is a major factor in the improvement of Americans' standard of living over the years. Americans on average now spend only 12% of their personal incomes on food (the lowest level in the industrialized world), compared to 25% back in 1950. Farm prices, after adjustment for inflation, are only half the level of 1950, USDA statistics show. The productivity increases result largely from mechanization, use of chemical inputs, and advances in plant and animal breeding. ANIMAL AGRICULTURE Animal agriculture continues to get high marks from Americans. Consumer research reported by the Animal Industry Foundation _ which provides information on care of animals by farmers and ranchers _ shows that more than 90% of Americans believe it is okay to raise animals for food. More than 80% believe that farmers and ranchers routinely treat animals well. As noted in the past, it is in cattlemen's best interest to take good care of their livestock. It is not only the humane thing to do; proper care results in greater productivity. FAVORITE ENTREES Beef is found in four of the top six lunch and dinner entrees in America. Research compiled by the NPD Group showed that the six favorite entrees in 1993 were, in this order: pizza, ham sandwich, hot dogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, steak and hamburger sandwich. It looks as though beef is a long way from going out of style. Furthermore, when you consider the trend to lower-fat beef products, you recognize that beef, with its preferred taste, is likely to remain a favorite food. ----------------------------------------------------------------- How It All Started The word "cowboy" captures the romance, the dreams, the struggle to tame the American West. But being identified as a cowboy wasn't always something to be proud of. Revolutionary War patriots used the term, contemptuously, to describe Tory supporters of King George III who would lure colonial militiamen into dense woods with gently tinkling cowbells and then would mow them down with musket fire. It wasn't until the late 1870's that the proud cattlemen of the emerging West gradually embraced the name cowboy and made it their own. By then, the cowboy was in his heyday, a legend in the making. And to this day, the term cowboy is applied to a man who works cattle on a ranch or in a feedlot. Ag Efficiency Spares Land For Wildlife Improving agricultural technology will help produce enough food for a growing population and, at the same time, save more land for natural or wilderness use in coming years. This is noted in a special report from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). The report was prepared by Paul E. Waggoner, agronomist at the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station. Jesse Ausubel, The Rockefeller University, pointed out, "This study suggests we can have a better fed population and a greener planet. If we maintain our current rate of technical progress in farming, we can spare 30% of the land now used globally for agriculture, an area larger than Alaska, and still produce enough food for the world's growing population." The report focuses on cropland use. In addition, other scientists explain, grazing livestock like cattle can make use of vast amounts of land not suitable for production. About two thirds of the world's agricultural land is range and pasture land that can best be used by ruminant (four-stomach) animals like cattle. ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Chart] Average Featured Beef Prices, 1993 and 1994 Large beef supplies and lower wholesale prices have brought declines in aberage retail prices. The above chart---with monthly aberage prices of beef cuts featured in retailers' newspaper ads---shows the downtrend. The average featured price in 1994 (through November) was $2.52 per pound, conpared to $2.63 in 1993. Source: Beef Featuring Analysis Program, Beef Industry Council/CattleFax. -----------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, a group I can relate to. None of those bark chewers in here, I hope. I am definitely a carniverous omnivor. Or, is this for the industry, wer, and I am just an interloper? (sort of like an anteloper and a cantalouper mixed?)

Guess it's more for the industrious...

nope...it's for everyone, meat friendly or not...

...and Jellyfish lovers? I am really hung up on actually consuming them. Perhaps If I just did not have top chew them - and was sure all the stingers were removed...I guess ones makes their own. But, cooked or raw? I usally do not like grey food.

I just reread those ag regs and stuff you put up as the 4th posting. Are you sure you are not in the vegetarian camp? Pretty scary stuff!

got it from a restaurant trade mag...

Well, I had some last night which was some of the best I ever had and I think they would not even cover it in their trade mags. But, I am keeping this secret all to myself.

Ok, let's get this one back on line...

If you'd check your chat room...You would discover that I had a very tough piece of veal roast. I popped it in a big stew pot and dumped 2 cans of crushed tomatoes on it, added some water and covered tightly. When I checked 2 hours later it was fall-apart tender so I removed the fat and rubber bands which hold the muscle together in the critter. Works every time! Add other veggies and you have a wonderful Stew/soup!

Tastes Like Chicken... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans will eat a record 81 pounds of chicken per capita this year and even more next year, far outpacing consumption of beef and pork, the National Chicken Council said on Monday. ``While American consumers are eating an unprecedented 81 pounds of chicken per person this year, consumers say they plan o purchase even more chicken in the months to come,'' said Lindy Pilgrim, chief executive of Simmons Foods Inc. Pilgrim announced the results of a survey commissioned by the trade group at a briefing for journalists in Las Vegas. The poll also found that 89 percent of consumers surveyed ate chicken at least once each week, and more than one-third of them ate chicken three times a week. Chicken consumption of 81 pounds per person annually exceeds beef at 69 pounds and pork at 52 pounds, the National Chicken Council said. Americans have been steadily increasing the amount of chicken on their dinner tables since 1970, when the typical consumer ate 37 pounds of it. Beef consumption has declined sharply during the past three decades while pork has remained steady, according to government data. Officials with the trade group that promotes poultry said chicken is popular with American households because it is convenient and fast to prepare. The survey results were based on answers from 1,009 randomly selected American adults. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points, the trade group said.