Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- August 5, 2008
Grass-fed beef shows potential for producers (:50)
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Suggested Intro:
HIGH CORN PRICES AND THE GROWING INTEREST IN "NATURAL" FOODS HAVE SPURRED BOTH CONSUMERS AND FARMERS TO CONSIDER GRASS-FED BEEF, AND A STUDY BY RESEARCHERS IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES MAY REINFORCE THIS TREND. GARY ABDULLAH HAS THE STORY:
Story:
(:20) ACCORDING TO THE STUDY, MOST CONSUMERS FIND THE TASTE AND TENDERNESS OF GRASS-FED BEEF ACCEPTABLE IN BLIND TASTE TESTS. WHILE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS ARE COMPARABLE IN GRASS- AND GRAIN-FINISHED BEEF, GRASS-FED HAS HIGHER LEVELS OF HEALTHY OMEGA-3 FAT. PENN STATE ANIMAL SCIENTIST JOHN COMERFORD SAYS PRODUCERS WHO RAISE GRASS-FED BEEF MAY SAVE ON FEED COSTS, BUT FACE OTHER EXPENSES:
Comerford Actuality:
(:17) "YOU NEED A LOT MORE LAND, THERE'S LOWER PRODUCTION ON GRASS VERSUS GRAIN, THE ANIMALS ARE OLDER, THE PRODUCER HAS TO OWN THEM LONGER, AND ALL OF THOSE OWNERSHIP COSTS TEND TO ADD UP; AS WELL AS HAVING TO PROVIDE FENCES, WATERING SYSTEMS,FERTILITY, MACHINERY TO MANAGE PASTURES AND SO FORTH."(:13) COMERFORD SAYS ALTHOUGH THE RETAIL PRICE OF GRASS-FED BEEF IS HIGHER THAN GRAIN-FED, CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY CITE HUMANITARIAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AS REASONS THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY PREMIUM PRICES. FROM PENN STATE, I'M GARY ABDULLAH.
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