Rock Valley, Iowa — May is Beef Month. Beef producers in northwest Iowa and around the nation want consumers to know what a nutritious food lean beef is.
But in our part of the world beef producers have another group that they would like to get a message out to — other beef producers.
Kent Pruismann of Rock Valley is a past president of the Iowa Cattlemens Association and a past member of the executive committee of the national Cattlemen’s Beef Board. He’s currently the chairman of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation.
He went to Mexico as a beef trade “ambassador” earlier this year, and tells us about that experience.
Pruismann says he was also surprised by the disparity. He says he literally saw a man in a field with a burro and a two-wheel cart right next to a field with a John Deere tractor with air conditioning and GPS.
He says the reason the Iowa delegation went to Mexico is to promote American beef and other ag products. He says both the American delegation and everyone they met was concerned about the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
Pruismann says the American beef industry is a mature protein market. He says he believes the future of the beef industry is outside the borders of the US. But he says they have a way to go, even to catch up with pork.
He says this will have to be a long-term effort. He also says he’s encouraged by the positive news when it comes to trading with China.
But again, Pruismann says, it’ll take time.
Pruismann says he wants consumers to know that American beef is produced with the utmost care, and people can be confident about eating American beef.
The Iowa Beef Industry Council says that beef provides 10 essential nutrients and there’s only 150 calories in one three-ounce serving. Beef experts also say that the nutrients in lean beef can also help satisfy hunger and maintain a healthy weight, build muscles, and fuel a healthy and active lifestyle. You can find more information including beef recipes at beef.org or beefitswhatsfordinner.com.
