Where's the Canadian Beef, eh? Part 2: What you didn't know

Last week I shared a few of my childhood memories and personal experiences as it relates to the Canadian cattle industry (see last week's post Where's the Canadian Beef, eh? Part 1: Meet the Ranchers ) For me, things haven't changed a lot over the last twenty-five years; I still support local farmers and try to shop from local companies when I can.  All that being said, it was an eye opener to experience a "behind the beef" tour and see firsthand the supply chain process for one of Canada's largest beef suppliers.

I hope the following account of my experience sheds light on some of the questions and/or misconceptions that you may have about Canada's beef industry.

The "Behind the Beef" Tour

On May 2nd I had the privilege to go on an an exclusive " Behind the beef " tour with Overwaitea Food Group and Canada Beef.  The first stop was Vantage Foods in Chilliwack, British Columbia, to get a first hand look at a service center supplying 160 retail outlets with a full case-ready fresh meats program for the Overwaitea Food Group (OWFG).

I can't say it any better than Julie does, so rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, here's an awesome exert from " Ranchers are BC Rockstars ":

... the care, and attention that was put into the cleanliness of the factory, and the speed with which the beef was prepared and repackaged for the consumer was amazing.  And to understand the thought that went into reducing packaging waste and providing the end consumer with a premium product was impressive.

To me, the passion the people behind a business have shows me what kind of business it truly is. The troop from Canada Beef, BC Cattlemans Association and Overwaitea Foods were passionate about their work in the beef industry.  They were amazingly committed to the process of the product they were producing and had a huge amount of respect for the cattle, and the ground the cattle grazed on.

After an amazing BBQ steak lunch ( of course! ) we shuttled off to an Abbotsford, BC, Save-on Foods to see where the packaged meat products end up in the retail store.  It was nothing short of 'WOW'.  Fantastic retail presentation, expert knowledge and remarkable choice... meeting, conversing and learning from the meat department manager was a wonderful experience and furthered my belief that Save-on Foods is a "people-focused" company.

Next time you find yourself in a Save-on Foods I urge you to engage one of the "meat experts" to learn more about your options for the variety of cuts, preparation tips and of course, to learn more about the local people, ranchers and communities you are supporting with your patronage.

Fun and interesting FACTOID about meat: I never realized but are you aware of the impact the weather has on meat consumption? Fortunately the people working within the meat supply chain do. During sunny, warm weather (especially nice long weekends) there is a massive spike in meat sales, to the point that if they don't add 30 to 50% extra to their orders, there may not be enough to supply the demand. Gotta love BBQ season!

...And now for the Q&A...

[dt_divider style="narrow"/]

The Q&A:  What you wanted to know from Canada's "Beef Experts"

Prior to the "Behind the Beef" tour, I posed the following question on my Facebook wall:

"If you could ask the Canadian Beef industry any questions, what would they be?"

Not all the responses were questions, but those that were have been answered by some of Canada's " in the know " beef experts from Canada Beef.

[toggle title="Question 1: Production Standards – what are they?"]See the fact sheets in the photo gallery below[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 2: Are you knowingly willing to sacrifice the quality of food, which could in turn hurt society's health just for more profit?"]Canadian standards are among the safest in the world. Most Federally Inspected plants start the day cleaner than most hospitals. (see attached fact sheet in the photo gallery section)[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 3: Is there any horse meat in my burger?"]No, of course not. Canadian standards are among the safest in the world. (see attached fact sheet in the photo gallery section)[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 4: What do cows eat?"]Cattle are raised on pasture and forage for the most part with a mix of grain such as wheat, barley or corn nearing maturity. (see attached fact sheet in the photo gallery section)[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 5: Why do you guys suck at hockey?"]I beg to differ! Did you know that approximately 52% of NHL players are Canadian born?[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 6: If we gave up eating beef, wouldn’t we have roughly 20 to 30 times more land for food than we have now and grow?"]Cattle are often raised on land that is unsuitable for producing grain or vegetable crops and they eat grasses that people can’t digest. This land could be cultivated to try to grow food crops but this process would destroy natural habitat and wildlife. Grazing animals on this land more than doubles the land area that can be used to produce food in Canada. Thus, cattle production is an effective and efficient way to provide a nutrient-dense protein by converting non-human quality forage/crop products into meat products.

BCRC information: The Role of Forages in Sustainable Beef Production and Forage & Grasslands research information.

Management practices that protect the environment and the health and well-being of cattle make sense financially because cattle that are happy and healthy produce better beef.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 7: Can we avoid torture of animals and still get the nutrients we need from vegetables?"]The important thing for any diet is to make sure a healthy balance of foods and make sure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs for optimal health. For children and infants, this also includes nutrients for their optimal growth and development.

For a complete list of all the nutrients found in beef, click here.

Canadian beef farmers and ranchers care about their animals. The industry took a lead role in developing a Code of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals: Beef Cattle. This document is the result of expertise held by the provincial cattle organizations, government and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.

The Federal Health of Animals Act regulates the care and handling of livestock throughout the industry. This includes the humane treatment of cattle and governs transportation, and the care, handling and disposition of animals at processing plants.

Cattle producers know that badly treated or stressed cattle will not reproduce or grow normally. Any animal owners causing an animal unnecessary suffering face monetary fines, possible charges under the Criminal Code and the removal of their animals.

For more on this, visit Cattle.ca
[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 8: What is the best cut for BBQ-ING?"]It all depends on what you're looking for. Top sirloin is a personal favorite for many, with good beefy flavor, reasonable price and a bit of bite. The top sirloin cap portion (or culotte) is especially tender and tasty. The key to great steak is to buy one that's fairly thick (thin steaks overcook too easily) and to buy triple or double grade A beef.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 9: Where's the beef?"]EVERYWHERE (we hope) as Canada is one of the world’s top 10 beef producing nations.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 10: Can you genetically modify this animal in order for us to have more rib eyes and New York cuts? (Lol)"]A broad range of cuts can be enjoyed all year round and offer a great variety of dinners to enjoy - a lot of the barriers to enjoying a range of cuts is just knowing what to buy and how to cook it properly. Check out the YouTube Beef channel for great cooking videos on each cut category.

Here's some examples of cuts you might not be familiar with:

• Buy blade pot roast in summer and cook in a slow cooker for pulled beef - terrific for sandwiches and pot luck - a great way to cook without heating up the kitchen.


• Skirt steak or flap (called bavette) - these both make great fajita meat when done on the grill


• Round Steaks can be good on the grill, but be sure to marinate them first


• Short Ribs cut thinly across the bone are terrific on the grill if marinated first before grilling – also call Maui or Korean Style Ribs.


• Cook value-priced Eye of Round or Inside/Outside Round Oven Roasts low and slow in the oven – cool to al fresco or chill and carve across the grain into thin slices to enjoy as part of a summer buffet, pot luck or for beef on a bun sandwiches.

To see step by step instructions visit Beef 101.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 11: What sound does a cow make?"]“Moo-eh!” (Canadian cows speak Canadian of course!)[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 12: Why are all Canadian cows not grass-fed?"]A blend of grass and grain and forage is the typical feed for Canadian cattle. Three main reasons that grass feeding is not done entirely by all cattle farmers and ranchers:
1. Grain finishing gives beef a tenderness and juiciness that is typical of high quality beef. Grass finishing tends to have a less consistent quality;
2. With our winter climate, pasturing cattle is not an option 365 days of the year and;
3. Beef is more affordable to consumers if produced with a mixed grain/grass diet as the cattle reach their maturity in less time.
[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 13: Protein beer shake?"]I think you mean beef shake? Pureed beef is good for infants as a first solid food at 6 months of age so can’t see why it wouldn’t be good for adults! It’s a great source of iron that is vital for brain development for infants and young children. In fact, Health Canada recently updated their infant feeding guidelines and recommend beef as a first food! See here for more.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 14: Could you make beef bacon?"]Yes – it’s already a done deal – check out Canadian beef bacon available at retail stores nationally.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 15: Do you really need 800 liters of water to produce 1 burger's worth of beef? Where's the plan for sustainable living?"]To see all the facts on Canadian cattle production and water usage check out the following site.

Some interesting points to note: Some water consumption facts are:

• 130 litres (29 gallons) to produce 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of beef


• 15 litres (3.3 gallons) to make 0.1 kilogram (1/4 pound) of hamburger


• 32 litres (7 gallons) to flush a toilet


• 135 litres (30 gallons) for the average shower


• 35 litres (7.7 gallons) to process one can of vegetables


• 5,678 litres (1,249 gallons) to produce a barrel of beer

The average Canadian uses 350 litres (77 gallons) of water a day in normal living activities. A mature beef animal will drink between 35 and 66 litres (8 to 15 gallons) of water per day, depending on the temperature. Most of the water cattle drink returns to the soil as part of the natural recycling process.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 16: Why is grass-fed beef so much more expensive? How is grass-fed beef regulated?"]Grass fed beef is more expensive because the production costs are higher as it takes longer for the animal to reach maturity. (For regulations see answer to question 18)[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 17: Why does the labeling on beef not show what the animals are fed and what or how much antibiotics are used?"]See the fact sheets below – Maximum residue limits(MRLs) are so low that they are negligible and of no risk to human health.[/toggle]
[toggle title="Question 18: Regulations in Canada for organic & grass-fed beef? What are they?"]Regulations for all foods are provided by the CFIA. For organic, click here.

Grass-fed: The definition of grass-fed is not regulated in Canada. Confusing the matter even more is the possible difference between the terms “grass-fed” and “grass finished” beef. Essentially, any animal that has spent a portion of its life on grass (which is all Canadian cattle – in fact for the majority of their lives) could logically be labeled as a grass-fed animal — at least at some point in its life. Whereas grass finished implies an animal has actually been fattened on grass prior to slaughter.

For more on beef production and the environment, click here.
[/toggle]

 

[dt_divider style="narrow"/]

Gallery:  "Beef: Nothing but the facts mam, nothing but the facts"

[gallery columns="5" link="file" ids="10275,10276,10277,10278,10279"]

 

[dt_divider style="narrow"/]

“Just so you know, I have been compensated to share my ideas on this topic. Sometimes it is in the form of products, or services or even money… But here’s the thing; I won’t  share anything with you that I don’t fully support. It doesn’t matter what it is, or how much they are willing to give me, if I don’t believe in it, It won’t be on my site. Seriously. You’ll just have to trust me on this.” ~ Moose