Missouri Celebrates Beef Month And Honors Beef Producers
COLUMBIA, MO.
During the Month of May the Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC) celebrates beef and honors the farmers and ranchers in Missouri and across the country that are dedicated to providing delicious, nutritious, and high quality beef for consumers.
In Missouri, the beef industry is a tremendous economic driver with 4 million head of cattle, and nearly 1.9 million beef cows. Missouri is the number three cow-calf state in the nation, with an average herd size of around 40 head. The more than 50,000 farmers and ranchers in this state are the driving force behind the industry's success in Missouri.
Throughout the year the Missouri Beef Industry Council has been implementing educational and promotional events to share the beef story and to help drive beef demand, including a partnership with the St. Louis Science Center as they develop their new agriculture exhibit set to open this summer.
Glen Cope, chairman of the Missouri Beef Industry Council shared “the St. Louis Science Center has developed and is finishing a new “GROW” exhibit to help educate parents and children about where their food is grown. Agricultural organizations, like the Missouri Beef Industry Council, were instrumental in helping develop the material and direction for an estimated one million visitors each year.”
Cope added, “in research, a new project being studied looks at incorporating meat protein into the diets of teenagers. Juvenile diabetes and obesity are significant health challenges in the U.S. today and the research hopes to prove the importance of 30 grams of protein in the first meal of the day.
National Beef Month is an opportunity to continue the conversation with consumers about the importance of beef in a heart healthy diet while celebrating the story of cattlemen and cattlewomen and their hard work and dedication to the beef industry. The Missouri Beef Industry Council has several events planned in the Month of May, including a cooking class, radio promotions, youth education events, and a May is Beef Month contest promoted through MBIC’s digital platforms. ∆