What You Need to Know About "Frankenfish" aka: GMO Salmon

A GMO salmon from AquaBounty in the background,
alongside a non-GMO Atlantic salmon.
Image courtesy www.alaskafishradio.com

In a historic move by the FDA, the first-ever genetically engineered animal was approved safe for human consumption this week: the GMO salmon, which some people have unlovingly deemed "Frankenfish." #notnice. I've actually blogged about this before, and my feelings about GMO salmon, which are officially called AquAdvantage salmon, are the same. However, before we all get up in hackles about this scientific breakthrough that has been 20 years in the making, let's take a minute to review some common, proven knowledge about GMOs or genetically engineered foods.
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Thanksgiving Safety 101

The holidays are upon us! The next six weeks are full of food, celebrations, family and fun. However, speaking from experience, food poisoning and several hours spent in misery are NOT the way you want to spend family time. Here is a great infographic from www.fightbac.org that preaches food safety as you shop, prepare and serve your Thanksgiving and holiday meals!



Food safety during the holidays for shopping, preparing, storing and serving your goodies. Click to enlarge - source

Wherever you are and however you choose to celebrate, be mindful of those who raised, harvested and prepared the food you are sharing with your family and friends.

And, while you're thanking people keep in mind those members of society who will be working on the Thanksgiving holiday:

• law enforcement
• firemen and women
• shop clerks
• restaurant servers
• turnpike operators
• 911 operators
• medical professionals

I'm sure there are many more but it's pertinent to remember that farmers aren't the only ones working hard to make the world go round and it sure would be bleak without them.

This year, and every day, I'm thankful for a supportive husband and family, a heaping passel of friends, my health, my amazing job [and fantastic colleagues] and a burning passion for agriculture.

Blessings to you and yours.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

You CAN Eat Horsemeat!

 Image from here

Been wanting to try the delicacy that those in France, China, Germany and many other countries have available in most fine dining establishments?

Well, now you can. Monsu, an Italian restaurant in Philly, PA, will be offering horsemeat as a menu item in the coming months. Chef Peter McAndrews says he plans to serve horse meat on smaller plates or in pasta.

Not surprisingly, the chef and the restaurant have received a lot of ridicule and even some threats to their safety and lives. One person even said, "If you serve it, we're gonna blow the place up."

Wow. That's a little excessive. Harming people?

Here are some more links to horse meat articles about the Philly restaurant and one in particular about Obama's new budget not containing funding for horse slaughter. Disappointed?

What do you think about the prospect of horse meat being served? Appetizing or ghastly?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

It's All in the Details: USDA/FSIS Meat Inspectors

 

Will there be a meat shortage?

Some details shedding light on how the sequester will affect the meat industry have been reported. In various articles this morning, Agriculture Undersecretary Elizabeth Hagen outlines how the furloughs will be implemented and during what time frame. You can read the two of the articles I read for the full story but here are the highlights:

As detailed by The Hagstrom Report, Hagen also told the committee that:

• 11 furlough days, scheduled from July to Sept. 20, will be for no more than one day a week and no more than two days per pay period.
• FSIS has decided the fairest plan for the nation’s meat industry is a uniform national schedule.
• FSIS will likely take a total cut of $52.8 million or 5 percent of its budget.
• Furloughs will be required of all 9,212 employees of the FSIS, including 8,136 meat inspectors and others on the front line such as lab technicians.

 Let's all breathe a collective sigh of relief that the days aren't consecutive and it's only 11 days and not more. Although, this article states that since some inspectors will be forced to take the same days off, there is still the possibility of shutting down the U.S. meat industry on those dates. But let's hope it doesn't get that bad.

Just as a refresher, this furlough is significant because meat plants CANNOT operate without federal inspectors present. It's illegal and would be a serious threat to food safety. For more info on how exactly federal inspectors regulate meat plant operations, you can read this about the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

What do you think of the decision handed down?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

The Importance of GMO's and Writing Letters to the Editor

image from here

Usually, I jam out to 106.9 Country Legends on the radio in my truck but in the mornings, on my way to work, I listen to the highly syndicated Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show. Every week or so they have a segment titled "Consumer Watch" and they talk about a few topics that consumers should be interested in - previous topics include cigarettes, a cell-phone in the car law etc. One morning the topic was GMO's (genetically modified organisms) -- this was around the time of Prop 37 in California -- and I developed a stomach ache listening to the false information they were saying. They were basically giving their opinions but not backing them up with any fact and it was so frustrating.

So I did what any active advocate would do and I wrote them a letter.  I have never heard back from them and if they addressed my concern during another Consumer Watch segment, I missed it. But here is my letter, because I believe that everyone should fully understand the capabilities that GMO provides us with in terms of food production and also the importance they play in the world's hunger problems.

-----

I have been listening to the Kidd Kraddick show for some time now and I am always laughing and truly enjoy the show. I donate to Kidd’s Kids and have signed up for Friends with Benefits – in short, I’m a big fan.

However, every time you guys have a consumer watch I get so frustrated with your analysis of anything to do with food that I have to change the station. The latest incident happened just this morning when you were discussing Prop 37 in California and how, if passed, all genetically modified food (GM) would need to be labeled. You are right, this would be a huge hindrance to food production companies, would increase every family’s grocery bill and would put negative connotation on most food products at the grocery store.

What you failed to do was provide actual facts regarding GMO food.  Genetically modified organisms revolutionized food production and agriculture in the 60’s and 70’s. Norman Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his contributions to the “green revolution” which had a tremendous impact on food production in underdeveloped countries in Asia and Latin America. The green revolution (and Mr. Borlaug’s work) was focused on the development of high-yielding varieties of cereal grains like wheat and aiding farmers in better management and use of technological advancements. Without the work of Mr. Borlaug and other scientists of the green revolution, over a billion people would have starved. 

Genetically modified doesn’t necessarily mean that the product was radiated or anything like that, it could be as simple as cross breeding or using a gene mutation in a strain of corn to make the plant more productive. For example, some variations of papayas have been genetically modified to resist the ringspot virus – this was done by developing a breed that is resistant to them. Hawaii, a big producer of papaya, almost had their industry devastated by the virus however, since the new genetics were discovered, their industry is successful. It’s important to point out that there is still no method of production other than the genetically engineered papayas that is resistant to the virus. Organic papayas (which are ridiculously expensive, like every other kind of organic food), are not resistant to the virus. Other GM foods are soybeans, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beets and squash. GMO versions of tomatoes, potatoes and rice have been created and approved by the government but aren’t commercially available yet. 

Modifying plants allows farmers to be more productive which is essential with a population that is growing exponentially. If we don’t accept and employ technology like GMO’s, it’s going to be pretty dang impossible to feed 9 billion people in 2050.

Regarding obesity – I can’t believe that you guys just blamed the obesity epidemic on genetically modified food. Americans are overwhelmingly overweight because we have become increasingly lazy and restaurants have increased their portion sizes dramatically. The fast food industry is booming – it’s easier (and often, cheaper) to buy a meal off the dollar menu than it is to buy fresh food or whole grains. America is one of the few countries in the world where it is more expensive to buy fresh food than it is to buy processed food. Add into the mix that low-income families can buy more food if they buy Cheetos and Pepsi than they can if they buy juice and apples and you can see why so many Americans are overweight. 

Hundreds of thousands of folks listen to your show every day – you have the opportunity to set the record straight on controversial issues like this and hopefully you will be more responsible with the facts you are representing. It would be nice if as much research went into Consumer Watch and food issues as does the Showbiz Top 5.

Thank you for reading and please keep up the hilarious antics.

Respectfully,

Brandi

---

So that's my letter. Again, I've never gotten a reply but hopefully they are aware of the influence they have and will take steps to make sure that future broadcasts are more fact filled rather than flashy and entertaining. Fear sells but isn't always the truth.

Have any of you ever written a similar letter to the editor? Did you get a reply? My only other experience has been this and it's been a rollercoaster ride since then.

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

ABC News - Defamation of BCI, Lost Jobs and Lawsuits

High profile lawsuit against ABC and newscasters

I'm not talking about the $1.2 billion lawsuit against the news mogul that Beef Products, Inc. (BPI) filed in early September. The lawsuit at hand is one that former senior counsel for BPI, Bruce Smith, has filed and is seeking $70,000 in damages for his lost job.

Smith cites a photo used by ABC, Jim Avila, Diane Sawyer and many other 'journalists' to depict lean, finely textured beef (inappropriately called "pink slime) - you've probably seen the picture in countless stories and blog posts. Here it is again:

The important thing is that the photo above is not a picture of beef. 

Smith is outraged because this photo does not represent what lean, finely textured beef actually is and this product has not ever been produced by BPI. In fact, according to beefisbeef.com, no one really knows what this product is or where it is produced. But it's definitely not a picture of beef.

Smith has also written a book to make known the events of the "pink slime" scandal and how the media behaved less than professionally. He also talks about what transpired at BPI during the almost immediate backlash against the company. The book, appropriately titled, "Pink Slime Ate My Job" is available on Kindle and is supposed to be a paperback eventually (according to Amazon). It's definitely one I'm adding to my reading list.

Best of luck to Smith and all the rest of the BPI employees in their lawsuits. No doubt Christmas will be tough for many of BPI's former employees and the road to redemption is one of long, hard struggle.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Beef, Food Safety and Smart Choices

This post is brought to you by a personal experience that I remembered because I was wide awake way too late at night due to Fort Riley dropping bombs on my doorstep. That didn't sound right but it was loud and I was awake.

On to the story - the date is February 15, 2011 and DH and I are getting ready to leave for our honeymoon (to where you ask? I didn't know at the time). We still needed some last minute things before leaving for the airport so I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart to get some more luggage locks, a travel pillow and some mini-shampoo. While in town I decided to be the perfect wife I was (we'd only been married 3 weeks at the time, bear with me) and pick up some lunch. I got The Ninja one of his faves, Rally's, and I stopped by my favorite grease pit, Long John Silver's. We ate, caught our flight, had a layover in LAX and while preparing to get on the plane I got the "uh-oh, things aren't going so well" feeling in my stomach. Sure enough, not more than 10 minutes after we took off from LAX, I was hugging the porcelain plastic toilet-bowl of the airplane facilities. Not my finest moment. I had food poisoning. On my honeymoon. And it lasted for almost two days. This was most definitely not how I had expected this trip to go (we were in Fiji, by the way). Thanks a lot Long John's, for your undercooked chicken. Yes, I get chicken at LJS. Sue me.

I told you that story to drive home a point - me getting sick wasn't caused by the farmer who produced the chicken. It had nothing to do with the rate of gain, the feed given to the chicken, how the chicken was raised etc. It had everything to do with the chicken not being cooked thoroughly and killing some mean little bacteria. I have since remedied that problem by asking for my chicken to be cooked longer at Long John's (and every other fast-food chicken place) and when I make fried chicken at home, I ALWAYS make sure that I cook it to the proper temperature so that it's safe for myself and my dinner guests to eat.

The moral of those stories is that lots of food borne illness problems can be fixed via proper food safety handling and techniques. If we get sick at home from a hamburger that we only cooked to medium-rare, whose fault is that? It's not the farmer's fault and it's not the packer's fault. It clearly says on ground beef, purchased from the grocery store, to cook the product to 160F. See?

I took this picture last night at Dillon's on a package of 85/15 lean ground beef. Look in the bottom right-hand corner, right next to the 'Peel' sign - it says "Cook to 160F". Plain as day.

Ok, enough stories for now. There is a lot going on in the news lately about beef and food safety. I want to address some food safety measures you can take to make sure you're consuming wholesome American meat products and staying safe all at the same time. Double whammy, right?

1. Cook meat to the recommended temperatures - employ a meat thermometer. I've highlighted proper cooking temps before but I will summarize them here too. You can also easily find this information on the packaging from the grocery store (see above).

Ground beef and pork - 160°F
Ground poultry - 165°F

Steaks and lamb - 145°F/155°F/165°F/170°F  medium rare/medium/medium-well/well-done

 Poultry - 180 °F/170 °F  whole chicken and turkey, thighs wings and legs/breast meat
**Salmonella is killed at 165 °F but I usually go to 180 anyway

Pork:  145 °F/160 °F/170 °F  medium rare/medium/well-done
 **Many people worry about trichinosis and tend to overcook pork. However, trich is killed at 140 °F.

2. WASH YOUR HANDS. I know this seems like a no-brainer but if you want the grocery store employees to have their hands clean when they package your meat, you should have equally clean hands when you're preparing it. I'll resist going into poo-related comparisons of livestock and people but for goodness sakes, lather up those paws.

3. Don't cross contaminate surfaces. Don't slice sirloin strips and then turn around and chop tomatoes with the same stinkin' knife. Use separate cutting boards and employ Lysol wipes. Check out these sweet cutting boards from Bed, Bath n Beyond - this should help your food safety tactics.




 See? A separate board for beef (red meat in general), fish, poultry and veggies. If you have room/desire for four cutting boards, these should be right up your alley (and if anyone is wondering, I DO have room for these and Christmas is in 12 days, so ya know, get on it).

 4. When in doubt, cook it to well-done. I hate to encourage anyone to eat charred, black and burned meat but if you are truly scared of ingesting bacteria of some sort and getting sick, then just cook it to the well-done temperatures I listed above.

5. If it's expired product -don't use it. I feel like this is a no-brainer. Don't try to be cheap. Buying fresh meat is way cheaper than a doctor's visit so if it's green and slimy, just toss it.

I think that's about it for my food safety suggestions. These are all really simple rules to follow and if you do so, you're ensuring a safe and nutritious meal  packed with protein for your family.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

What's in That Chicken McNugget?

 photo from here

I've been asked this question before on the blog - most recently in a comment from this post. And I've always forgotten to answer it; sorry, I'm not perfect and sometimes I forget. But McDonald's of Canada has stepped up to the plate and become completely transparent in regards to what is in their products. They have recently invited their customers to pose their questions online at Our Food. Your Questions. and boy are the inquiries rolling in.

Some of the more popular questions are - my synopsis is in italics, but to read the word-for-word detailed answers, visit the website.

-- How is it that a McDonald's burger does not rot? Too dry; not enough moisture for bacteria/mold.
-- Does Canada use pink slime? (which I hate saying but that is verbatim - the actual term is lean, finely textured beef) No.
-- Does your egg McMuffin use real eggs? Yes - a freshly cracked egg for every sandwich.
-- Inside the McNugget, is it actually the meat of the chicken or cut offs that nobody would actually want to eat? Answer (verbatim): It's definitely chicken inside our McNuggets. We use seasoned chicken breast and a few seasonings, along with a natural proportion of skin for flavour and as a binder.

I hope that clears up any misconceptions about random chicken parts.

 One of my faves is, "Would you live in the life of one of your cows for even a week?" That'll make you take a deep breath! McDonald's has yet to answer that one but you can see the answers to the above questions and more by following the link to the Your Questions website.

I applaud McDonald's for taking this approach to helping consumers make connections between their food and the way it's produced/prepared. You should definitely go over and look at some of the other questions being posed and maybe even ask one of your own.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Hyvee, Pink Slime (LFTB) and Stupidity

It's generally not common for shoppers to thank grocers for carrying certain products - we just expect them to be there and take for granted the different options available to us. There's usually two or three different brands/varieties of each product on our grocery list, which allows us to be selective based on price, brand loyalty and taste.

Unless you shop at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway or Target and henceforth your ground beef options will have been slashed. Those retailers have chosen to cease utilizing lean, finely textured beef (LFTB) in their ground beef products which drastically reduces the options available to we, the shoppers. Even though the USDA, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and one of the producers of LFTB, Beef Products Inc., have affirmed its safety time and again. In fact just yesterday three governors (Iowa, Kansas, Texas) toured a BPI plant and chowed down on burgers made from LFTB after their tour. Governor Branstad (Iowa) stated in a press conference that boycotting LFB is bad for the econom and the public's health:

”The problem is, we take this off the market, then we end up with a fatter product that’s going to cost more and it’s going to increase the obesity problem in this country,” he said at the news conference. “It doesn’t make any sense, and it’s not caused any problems in terms of health — that’s the most important thing here, is protecting the health of the citizens of this country and making sure that they have product that’s safe.”

He also scolded the national media for permeating the ongoing discussion with a “poisonous tone,” which he warned was “detrimental to the beef industry and the jobs that support it.”

“It’s time to end the smear campaign and to stop the use of inaccurate, inappropriate and charged words designed to scare people,” he said.

To read more about the Governors' visit - check out these sources.

However, there is one grocery chain who has chosen to not jump on the uneducated bandwagon and will continue to offer LFTB choices. Know why? From the Hyvee website:

"Hy-Vee takes great pride in listening to the voices of our customers and offering them outstanding values on the quality products they want to buy," the company said in a statement published on its website. "Following our recent decision to stop purchasing ground beef containing Lean Finely Textured Beef, we heard from many customers who asked us to continue carrying this product.

"They've sent us a clear message: They want a choice when it comes to ground beef, and they want to support companies that provide thousands of jobs in our Midwest trade area. In response to this feedback, Hy-Vee has made a decision to offer both kinds of ground beef -- both with and without Lean Finely Textured Beef."

Bravo! It's so refreshing that our voices were actually heard and Hyvee responded. This is what agriculturalists and agvocates work for - empowering people to voice their need for choices and search out correct information. This is a superb example of a company standing up for what is right and making decisions based on facts and consumer demands.

Unfortunately, not all grocers are created equal and the aforementioned stores that have chosen to cease offering LFTB have, with the help of horrible reporting by ABC news, caused BPI to close its plants in Kansas, Texas and Iowa. This cease of production has left about 800 people out of work, which is a travesty since LFTB is safe for consumption and is comprised of 100% beef and only 95% lean. Thankfully, and contributing to the stand up values of BPI, the company will continue paying employees full salary until the situation has been resolved. Wow.

Oh by the way, did you know that since the bottom has fallen out of LFTB demand - DUE TO ATROCIOUS REPORTING BY ABC - beef producers will need to supply processing plants with an additional 1.5 million head of cattle in order to meet demand. This comes on the heels of one of the worst droughts in recent history this past summer which caused the national cow herd to drop to the lowest numbers since 1952. This is becoming the perfect storm for through the roof beef prices and a lot of additional stress on the cattle industry.

On the topic of poor ABC reporting - I know that getting people to read articles is sometimes difficult. Gold mines are found in sensational headlines with buzz words however, a biased slandering piece about a 100% safe process that provides millions of people with healthy, safe and affordable beef does not fall under responsible journalism. There will be likely be another post about journalism on this blog and how not to do it - I don't have a communications, English or journalism degree but I know how to check the facts.

This post has ended up a lot longer than I intended but the consequences of turning our backs on an economical, safe and healthy product are far reaching and sombering. If you appreciate choices, low-cost high-quality food, please please please call the renegade grocery stores that have suspended LFTB and let them know how you feel.

Look for more on this topic later because it's not going anywhere.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Pink Slime - It's Meat

******First off, I want to say that yesterday a fantastic commentary was written about the pink slime issue. which you can read here. I was given a lot of praise and credit for apparently writing it but I want to make it clear that I didn't write it - my husband, Hyatt Frobose, wrote that as a member of the Food For Thought blog squad. Just giving credit where credit is due - he did a great job and has seen first-hand how LFTB is processed and made.******

 Ok, on to the regularly scheduled post: there's been a lot of buzz about pink slime recently, which is a moniker I dislike so I'll henceforth be referring to it as Lean, Finely Textured Ground Beef (LFTB). There is a lot of negative buzz about LFTB but there are also a lot of facts and truth behind it which need to be pointed out:

- LFTB is completely safe for consumption.
- LFTB is NOT made from beef parts intended for pet food. It is made from meat that is extracted from the external and KPH (kidney, pelvic, heart) fat from cattle. Part of the process involves using ammonium hydroxide to ensure the product is free from bacteria and microorganisms. The ammonium hydroxide mist evaporates and is not present in the final product. Therefore, it's completely safe for consumption.
-- LFTB helps us meet consumer demand for safe, affordable and nutritious food - Dr. Russell Cross, Head of the Department of Animal Sciences at Texas A&M

There are many other very well written and informative factual-based commentaries about LFTB and I encourage you to read up on the facts.

Q & A about ammonium hydroxide in food

Is Pink Slime Dangerous to Consumers - written by the Ninja (@frobose on Twitter)

Pink Slime is a Myth - great resource

Engineering a Safer Burger - Washington Post article about LFTB production

Pink shirts, pink ties and pink slime - Common Sense Agriculture by Jeff Fowle (@JeffFowle on Twitter)

Also, I was asked by a contact I made in Australia if I thought the US would adopt irradiation in meat processing. I wrote about this a year ago or so and hope you'll check that link out, too. Although I don't see irradiation being adopted/accepted anytime soon, unfortunately.

Become an investigator and find out the truth. The news isn't always true but science doesn't lie.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

BOLD with BEEF!

I love beef and now that I can be BOLD with beef, I've even more jazzed up about my favorite protein source.

BOLD stands for Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet. The Iowa Beef Industry Council has recently brought light to research conducted at Penn State University that showed eating lean beef daily in a heart-healthy diet reduced the 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) by 10%. Also, in the January issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it was determined that substituting lean beef for white meat – improved heart disease risk factors across the board. Wowza! That's a pretty big deal.

So why all the beef about beef? Because it's February and next week is Valentine's Day!

Question - what is the absolute BEST way to show someone special how much you love them?

Answer - buy them steak.

This is a proven fact and therefore no discussion will be taken about facts. Beef is best. Bazinga.

Also, did you know that it's a leap year? Yep - 29 days and by no coincidence, there are also 29 cuts of lean beef for you to enjoy! My fellow advocate and friend, Jesse Bussard, has written a post about the 29 days 29 lean cuts epiphany and I think you should check it out.

So, directions for February:
1. Eat heart-healthy, lean beef everyday. For a list of the lean cuts, check here

2. On Valentine's Day take your sweetie out to a steak dinner - or buy steak and prepare it at home. That's what the hubsy and I are doing - but make sure you cook your beef to the proper temperatures!

3. Cheer for the Cats in our final few weeks of regular season play. This is also not up for discussion. Please do it (I even said please).

Have a great February and don't forget to enjoy lean, heart-healthy beef daily!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~
For more info visit http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/bold.aspx

Delving Further into Antibiotic Use

Happy Monday!


As a brief follow up to this post, I found a podcast about antibiotic use in food animals from the AVMA media website. In this podcast, Dr. Scott Hurd, an associate professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine at Iowa State University, discusses quantitative risk assessments of antibiotic resistance in humans. He does a really great job of explaining the issues and concerns in laymen's terms.

To listen to the podcast, click here. If you can help me learn how to embed podcasts in my future posts, please email me (bbuzzard13@gmail.com).

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Grillin ain't BBQ'in

It's summertime (at least it is in the States) and that means two things: hot weather and cooking outdoors. I've been jealous of the countless facebook statuses I've read that have been talking about BBQ'ing with friends, going fishing and having a good time. But did you know that most people are falsely claiming to be BBQ'ing? Yep, that's right - they're lying. Sort of.

The terms BBQ and grilling out are used synonymously to describe cooking food on a grill. However,  BBQ and grilling aren't the same thing. Technically, (according to this article by Troy Black, Big Book of BBQ) "BBQ'ing is long, low, and slow. The low temperature and the resulting length of time the meat is cooked allows for the food to soak up the smoke and rub flavors, and to become very tender and moist. Think ribs, pork shoulder, and brisket as barbecue."

BBQ'ing

My Uncle Jere, Aunt Daisy and their BBQ team, UFR Smoke, make a mean brisket. They slow BBQ'd the brisket and pork for our wedding and I think we got more compliments on the food than we did congrats on our big day! 
Grilling, on the other hand, is the method with which most people are familiar. Being able to cook a variety of food such as burgers, chicken, steaks, veggies, and seafood, hot and fast is what draws many people to the grilling arena.

More commonly practiced, grilling.

Regardless of what you're cooking this summer remember to observe proper cooking temps and have a meat thermometer handy! Burgers should be 'Safe and Savory at 160', steaks and pork chops should be cooked to 145 and chicken should be heated to a toasty 180 (all temperatures in Fahrenheit).

What are some of your favorite grilling or BBQ dishes? I'm pretty partial to Uncle Jere's brisket - it's hard to beat!

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

It's Not Nice to Call Them Frankenfish.....

In the front, traditional farm raised salmon.  The rear fish is GMO salmon from AquaBounty.

Photo courtesy of http://eatocracy.cnn.com/ 

I'm sure that everyone, at some point, has heard about GMO's (genetically modified organisms).  Whether it be in the coffee shop, at school or in the news GMO's have been, and will continue to be, a hot topic.  Especially since the FDA is considering approving the sale of GMO salmon for consumption.  If accepted, the salmon, produced by AquaBounty, would be the first genetically modified animal in the food supply. Obviously, this is a hot topic for both foodies, producers, policymakers and consumers (which includes all of the aformentioned).

You may have your own opinion on this matter but do you truly know what GMO's are, let alone GMO salmon? Let's delve further into the topic.

What is a GMO?  A GMO is an organism in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.  The process of making GMO's is often called 'modern biotechnology' or gene technology'.

Why are GMO's produced? Simple - they present a significant advantage over conventional products to the producer, consumer or often times, both parties. Some common GMO's are soy, corn, cotton and canola. 

What are those advantages? In the crop industry, GMO's are more insect resistant, herbicide tolerant and have increased virus resistance.  They stay healthier which in turn, increases yields.

Are GMO's safe? All GMO's currently used in the food supply are safe. Specific systems have been set up for the rigorous evaluation of GM organisms and GM foods relative to both human health and the environment. Similar evaluations are generally not performed for traditional foods. Hence there is a significant difference in the evaluation process prior to marketing for these two groups of food.  GM foods are tested more rigorously than traditional foods.

As with all technological advances in the food industry there are risks such as, allerginicity and nutritional effects.  However, scientists perform extensive testing to ensure that the effects of those risks stay in the lab in order to be altered and bred out of the organism.  Again, GMO's are tested more rigorously than traditional food.

So, back to the GMO salmon.  These "AquAdvantage® Salmon" grow into full-sized fish in half the time that it would take a regular salmon.  Let me elaborate, simply.  Faster growing fish = more fish = more meat for a hungry world.

However, the FDA didn't use my economic knowledge to make their decision and concluded that there presently isn't sufficient evidence to accept or deny the fish into the food supply.  Many consumers don't want GMO food forced upon them.  However, I feel that the answer to this dilemma would be a label for GMO salmon (voluntary not mandated) thus allowing the producer to be aware of what he/she is purchasing and providing yet another option at the grocery store.  But that's just my opinion - and you know what they say about opinions.....

To learn more about GMO's click HERE! (World Health Organization - where I got my facts)

Until next time,
~Buzzard~

Getting to know your BEEF

Did you know that ground beef and hamburger aren't the same product? I didn't either until recently, while on Twitter, social media friend iTweetMeat brought up that point.  Upon further investigation I discovered the main difference between the two similar products.

 Beef fat may be added to hamburger, but not ground beef.  Regardless of this addition, neither hamburger or ground beef may contain more than 30% fat.  So, when shopping for a lean product just check the label - for example 80/20 indicates 80% lean-20% fat and 93/7 indicates 93% lean-7% fat.

Additional facts about ground beef and hamburger that you may not have known:

1.  All meat transported and sold in interstate commerce is federally inspected according to the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
2.  Ground beef and hamburger are made from the less tender cuts of meat on the animal - grinding tenderizes the meat and the fat reduces the dryness and adds flavor.
3.  When cooking ground beef or hamburger - always remember "Safe and Savory at 160" - cook these products to 160 degrees to ensure a meal that is free of harmful bacteria.
4.  When choosing a product at the store, select a package that feels cold and is not torn.  Once you have the product at home, store it at 40 degrees or below or freeze it.

For more information of wholesome, safe and nutritious beef visit the USDA Meat Prep site or Beef: It's What's for Dinner . Happy eating!

Until next time,
~Buzzard~

Summatime and the Grilling is Easy

I apologize blogging world for being gone for so long. I realized it has been almost TWO WEEKS since my last post, but I swear that won't happen again.  After this, look for a post about wildlife in South Africa and an update on the Angel Food Cake saga!

Anywho, it's that time of the year again. It's summertime and grilling and BBQ'ing are at their peak. Backyard meals are a great time for everyone, whether youre grilling a flank steak for fajitas or preparing the perfect pork loin for a family reunion. However, when you're armed with your fork in one hand don't forget to fill the other one with a meat thermometer. Many people don't pay attention to meat temperatures - just because it looks done doesn't mean it is done. Heck, it might even be TOO done and nobody likes tough, dry meat. Did you know that even though you have taken it off the grill, meat temperatures still increase 5 degrees after removal? To avoid improperly cooking your meat, refer to the following guidelines:

Ground Meats: Pork, Beef and Lamb: 160 °F
                       Chicken and Turkey: 165 °F

Steak and Lamb: Medium-Rare 145 °F
                          Medium 155 °F
                          Medium-Well 165 °F
                         Well Done 170 °F

Poultry: Chicken & Turkey, Whole 180 °F
             Breast Meat 170 °F
            Thighs, Wings & Legs 180 °F
             Duck & Goose 180 °F
**Salmonella is killed at 165 °F

Pork: Medium-Rare 150 °F
         Medium 160 °F
        Well Done 170 °F
**Many people worry about trichinosis and tend to overcook pork. However, trich is killed at 140 °F.
To get some great recipe ideas for your next grilling experience,visit these sites for pork, lamb, beef and chicken recipes. Hopefully, these tips will ramp up the safety, and flavor, at your next backyard gathering. Enjoy!
Until next time,
~Buzzard~

Legislation to cut use of antibiotics is supported strongly in D.C

Unfortunately, that title is true.  PAMTA (Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act) is being backed strongly by over 100 representatives.  The legislations has several stated purposes:

• The proposed legislation seeks to eliminate the "non-therapeutic" use of antibiotic drugs considered important for human health.
• The intent of the legislation is to decrease the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans.
• The bill purports to preserve the effectiveness of medically important antibiotics used in the treatment of human and animal diseases by withdrawing antibiotics for 'non-therapeutic' purposes in food-producing animals unless they can be proven to pose no harm to human health.
• The bill defines critical antimicrobial animal drugs as those intended for use in food-producing animals and are composed wholly or partly of any kind of penicillin, tetracycline, macrolide, lincosamide, streptogramin, aminoglycoside, or sulfonamide, or any other drug or derivative of a drug that is used in humans or intended for use in humans to treat or prevent disease or infection caused by microorganisms.
• The bill defines 'non-therapeutic use', with respect to a critical antimicrobial animal drug, as use of a drug as a feed or water additive for an animal in the absence of any clinical sign of disease in the animal for growth promotion, feed efficiency, weight gain, routine disease prevention, or other routine purpose.

As agriculturalists, we know that antibiotics have been used for over 40 years to keep our nation's food supply safe and that of the antibiotics that are currently utilized in industry, 95% are for therapeutic control of disease.  Legislation similar to this has been instituted in Denmark and these are some consequences from that implementation:

Denmark, with a pork industry roughly equivalent to the size of the pork herd in Iowa, instituted a ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters (AGPs) in 2000 which has not reduced antibiotic resistance patterns in humans. The ban has, however, resulted in increased death and disease among animals, greater amounts of antibiotics used to treat and prevent disease, and little evidence to suggest that antibiotic resistance in humans has declined.

You can read the rest of the bill and it's implications by clicking here.
 These are facts that your representatives need to know before they sign and pass this legislation!  Visit this link on the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and send a letter to your representative - voice your opinion and prevent the passing of this detrimental legislation.  Here's your chance to help stand up for our industry. 
 
Until next time,
~Buzzard~

  

 

 

Become an Agcovate

This blurb was in my weekly KLA newsletter and I thought I would share it with all you cyber-readers

Become an "Agvocate"

MYTH: Antibiotics used in the lifestock industry cause resistance in humans and leave resistance in the food supply.

FACT: All antibiotics used in beef production go through a rigorous testing process by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that helps protect human health and gives veterinarians and beef producers the tools needed to keep animals healthy.  In addition, by law, no beef with antibiotic residues exceeding FDA standards is allowed in the food supply.

You can share this with your peers, coworkers, friends and family - impress them with your extensive science knowledge!

Until next time,

~Buzzard~

CBS to air segment about antibiotics in livestock

Tomorrow and Thursday night, CBS will air a segment about the use of antibiotics in the livestock industry, primarily the pork and poultry industries. NPP spokesman Dave Warner said that the poultry and pork producers who were interviewed found the questions to be very accusing in nature.

Besides meeting with farmers, CBS also met with Representative Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) who has introduced legislation that would regulate antibiotics used in livestock production. Additionally, CBS crews traveled to Denmark where antibiotic use has been regulated for quite some time now.  Industry groups are crossing their fingers that the edited and aired parts of the segment are not completely derogatory.

We all know that antibiotics are used in livestock production only when necessary and that they keep animals healthy.  We also know that healthy animals produce a healthy, safe product that keeps our food supply going strong.  Be sure that your peers, friends and family know that too.

Tune into the CBS Nightly News tomorrow and Thursday night to see what's in-store for the livestock industry.

Self-regulation is the best kind

Animal welfare is the hot topic for probably the next decade and following with the times, producers and packers alike are trying to meet standards and fend off the next big attack from HSUS, PETA and the likes.

The AMI (American Meat Institute) and UEP (United Egg Producers) have made a giant step in the right direction.

These two corporations, with the help of a third party, have developed animal welfare audits that all of their customers have adopted.  Because of this third party, the welfare audit instrument is sure to be rigorous and has been developed my professional experts within their respective industries.  The utilization of one single audit is more cost effective and also addresses important issues in the industry such as gas stunning vs. electrical stunning.  With one audit, there is only one set of requirements therefore eliminating any confusion on what is or isn't taboo in the processing and packing industry.

Until next time,
~Buzzard~