Chewing The Cud

When your words and actions match, people know they can trust you.

With all of my beef promotions, I sometimes wonder if I truly make a difference and if I have an impact on the consumers I speak with on a daily basis. I have blogged about my friend Natalie, the runner who lost strength when she cut beef from her diet. Natalie is my best friend, and we chat everyday. As an exercise enthusiast, she is always giving me workout ideas and I’m constantly suggesting new ways to incorporate beef into her diet.. Natalie is my inspiration and motivation. She has gone from not eating beef at all, to encouraging her friends to eat beef at every meal!

With all of my travels promoting the beef industry, most of my classmates refer to me as the Beef Girl. Normally, most females might take it offensively to have a nickname of bovine; however, I know I received this nickname because of my passion and dedication to the beef world. My friends are well aware of the fact that I am a beef enthusiast, and this topic often comes up while dining in the SDSU Union. I’ll take note of the fact that they are eating chicken strips, again. This one comment erupts into a heated discussion that there are barely any good beef options offered on campus.

Then the question will arise of how long it has been since my friends have eaten beef. At which point I remind them that SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT BEEF MAKES ONE WEAK! On one such occasion this subject was discussed, I was shocked at my friends disconnect with agriculture.

As a South Dakota beef producer and consumer, I was disappointed in an article I found in 5280, Denver’s Mile High Magazine. The article printed, “It’s Easy Being Green”, included a negative message on how beef is produced. Lean beef is a high-quality protein that provides the food supply’s most easily absorbed sources of iron and zinc-nutrients many Americans, especially women and children are lacking.

In addition, the claims of the article are wrong. With the amount of water the magazine claims it would take to make one pound of hamburger, you could actually eat a burger everyday for an entire month! Furthermore, cattlemen are committed to protecting the environment and follow best practices to maintain high quality water, soil, and air around their farms and ranches.

With the supporting evidence, one can easily conclude that cattle are environmentally friendly and are a great source of America’s favorite protein. Beef is one of the most naturally nutrient-rich foods, and environmentally conscious consumers should continue to choose beef with confidence!

After surviving the last blizzard, students across South Dakota State University's campus are crawling out of hybernation to embrace this wonderful spring weather! The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and spring fever is in the air. With spring comes a whole new inspiration to work out and get fit. More students are outside playing basketball, running, or picking up a game of ultimate frisbee. I have found motivation to revamp my outdoor running program once again, and the fresh air feels so good.

There is no better way to get fit and have fun in the outdoors, then to celebrate life with beef. Lean beef truly fits into a healthy lifestyle. The beef Americans love is leaner than ever before and good for you too.

As I embrace spring, an inspirational man comes to mind. My friend and fellow beef advocate, Daren Williams, is training for the Vineman Triatholon through Team Garmin. His success comes from a lot of hard work and by incorporating beef into his daily training diet. I'm excited that we have linked blogs. Check out his blog to keep an eye on his training progress! Go Daren!

Start thinking spring: get in shape with exercise and beef!