Meat and animal industry associations do a very good job of gathering scientific evidence and obtaining input from nutrition experts to respond to these types of reports, but this approach is not enough.

By H. Russell Cross

The recently released EAT-Lancet report is the most negative report regarding animal products for food to date and is being launched with an extensive world-wide delivery. While the nutritional benefits of meat are well established as an efficient dietary source of complete protein, the report recommends a 90% reduction in consumption of beef and pork and 50% reduction of eggs, while tripling consumption of beans and quadrupling nuts and seeds.

The report also claims that meat consumption kills 2.4 million people per year at $285 billion in health-related costs.

The meat industry has been at war against misinformation for some time but is being significantly outgunned. The meat industry is losing this information “war!”

Meat and animal industry associations do a very good job of gathering scientific evidence and obtaining input from nutrition experts to respond to these types of reports, but this approach is not enough.  When a negative report is due to be released, the industry is always on the defense—gathering information and preparing to respond with science.

This approach is necessary, but it is not enough! It is not effective at countering emotionally-held beliefs, thus the industry continues to lose the war of delivering sound nutritional advice. Meat industry professionals and academic scientists must devise a long-term strategy to get ahead of the game.

Click here to continue reading the story at BEEF Magazine.

-30-

via source BEEF Magazine  |  It’s time for offense, not defense in the “meat wars”

For more information regarding news from the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, please contact Maggie Berger at maggielberger@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1542.