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The Burger Battle

Competition growing between
beef vs. plant-based options

Area cattlemen promote their humane
methods in beef production

December 2019 Cover

(December 2019) – Angela Hamilton had not tried a fast food burger in 20 years. While in Madison, Ind., recently for a belated birthday celebration, the self-described vegan and her mom, Melissa Burnette, discussed the new Impossible Burger available at Burger King.
“I’d like to try one.”
Her mom responded, “Let’s go.”
They each ordered a Whopper – a plant-based Impossible Whopper for Hamilton and a traditional Whopper for Burnette. Hamilton’s verdict on the Impossible Whopper: “It’s pretty good!”
The iconic Wendy’s slogan of 1984, “Where’s the beef?” still echoes in memory along with the current slogan, “Fresh, Never Frozen.” Arby’s currently proclaims, “We have the meats!” But today, it is possible to have a burger with no beef or any other kind of meat. At the grocery store, new brands such as Beyond Meat and Impossible are competing for storage in the refrigerated meat case. Beyond Meat will not distribute products to any store unless the Beyond burgers are available in the meat department. On the other hand, the U.S. Cattleman’s Association is contesting the use of the word “burger” for vegetarian items. Proponents on each side are passionate about their products.

Photo by Sharyn Whitman

Angela Hamilton jokingly dons a paper crown as she dines on a plant-based Impossible Whopper at Burger King in Madison, Ind.

For Hamilton, it is about focusing on a plant-based diet. She sees meat as an animal, not a product. She was already a vegetarian as a 2002 Madison Consolidated High School graduate because she had never liked meat.  She soon became a vegan (no honey, eggs, milk or meat). After graduation from Franklin College in 2006 with a sociology degree and a minor in Spanish, she worked in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and in Guatemala on community development projects.
“Guatemala has the highest food insecurity in the Americas for children ages 1-5. Plant-based foods are a shelf stable food source,” she said.
Currently working as a federal investigator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Indianapolis, Hamilton said, “There aren’t many vegan restaurant options in Madison. When I would get fast food with friends in the past, I would usually get just fries and a side salad.”
She has enjoyed the Beyond Burger at several restaurants in Indianapolis. She also buys Chicken-Less Mandarin Orange Morsels from Trader Joes.
“Having vegan fast food options makes it more accessible to people. I don’t use the word vegan very often because it’s not about protesting or making people feel guilty about eating meat. I just prefer to follow a plant-based diet.”

Photo by Sharyn Whitman

Elizabeth Brooner shops the meat aisle at the Kroger store in Jeffersonville, Ind., where both pure beef and plant-based substitutes are sold.

Elizabeth Brooner, an employee at Starbucks inside the Jeffersonville, Ind., Kroger store, said she liked the taste of meat until she learned more about what was involved in processing animals for meat. She also loves animals and sees them more as pets. She wanted to try a plant-based burger that did not contain soy. She tried the Beyond Meat burgers, and declared, “They’re delicious.”

The Beyond Burger Plant-Based Patties that she buys are labeled as 20 grams of Plant Protein per quarter pound serving, no soy, no gluten. (The same amount of protein is found in a ground beef burger.) It is her perception that a plant-based product is better for heart health and blood pressure.
Nathan Lawson, 39, director of the Kentucky Beef Council in Lexington, said, “Americans love their burger.” It’s not hard to guess why meat substitute manufacturers work so hard to replicate the appearance, taste and texture of ground beef. Lawson said that Kentucky is the largest beef producer east of the Mississippi River.

Nathan Lawson

Speaking of the new plant-based products, Lawson noted, “With any new product, there is a new wave of enthusiasm. Data and facts always lag behind. Actually, meatless products have been exposed to be highly processed products, similar to a can of SPAM. The products have a high sodium content and may also contain preservatives.” SPAM, a canned pork and ham product, was an easily transported protein that exploded in popularity during World War II. Still available today, there are 12.8 cans of SPAM eaten every second, according to the website.
The label of the Beyond Burger lists 18 ingredients, including 390 milligrams of sodium and 300 milligrams of potassium per quarter pound patty, while the same size Kentucky Cattlemen’s burger contains only 75 milligrams of sodium and zero milligrams of potassium. The total ingredients listed on the label of Kentucky Cattlemen’s Ground Beef: “100% Natural, Locally Raised Ground Beef.”

Photo by Don Ward

John Edwards poses with packages of beef sold at his Trackside Butcher Shoppe in Campbellsburg, Ky.

“History makes a good case for animals,” Lawson explained. “While there are misperceptions of practices and standards regarding the care for animals, beef cattle producers take pride in their responsibility to provide proper care to cattle.”
The Beef Quality Assurance program provides ongoing training and certification for cattle producers to achieve the highest quality standards at the state and national levels. Beef is a simple, single ingredient source that has been used since creation to build protein. Meat substitutes aren’t new either. Asian cultures used tofu for many years. In the U.S., the first meatless alternative was a peanut-based product developed in 1886 by the Kellogg brothers.”  
Lawson has been a full-time farmer in Bloomfield, Ky., since 2005. He is currently raising 140 cows plus row crops. He raises most calves to the one-year point before sending them to market to be finished, while retaining about 25 percent of his calves to finish, harvest and sell directly to customers.
“The United States is both an exporter and an importer of beef,” he said. “Exporting adds value to cattle in the United States. American high-quality beef is sought after around the world. We are efficient, have high quality, and are good at it. U.S. meat is valued in the global markets, especially Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico.
Cattle finished to 24-30 months of age are used for steaks and roasts due to the tender meat plus fat and marbling. Lean trim for burgers comes from older cattle or bulls that are in good health. Laura’s Lean Ground Beef is one example. It is the best use because it makes great ground beef. Lean trim beef is also imported to support the massive food service demand for ground beef in the U.S.” 

Photo courtesy of the
Kentucky Beef Council

Kentucky Beef Council members say there is no real substitute for a 100 percent ground beef hamburger.

The Beef Council is supported by “check-off.” One dollar of every head of beef sold goes to the state to support youth, producer, consumer, and beef industry education, as well as market development and beef promotion in Kentucky and beyond. 
“Our desire and goal is to be an advocate for the beef industry, but there are limitations due to the requirements of the government-sponsored check-off,” Lawson said. “We are not allowed to be disparaging or say negative things about non-meat products.”

Promoting beef to consumers

The Beef Council uses digital marketing to educate consumers about the nutritional value of beef and the quality management of raising beef cattle. The Beef Council also advocates for the farmers and speaks on their behalf. The National Beef Council is responsible for marketing campaigns such as “Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner.”
One of the challenges for Kentucky cattlemen, according to Lawson, is distance. “We are a little detached from finishing. Kentucky is a cattle-on-grass state and a cow-calf state. The majority of our calves are born here, weaned at 6-9 months, and then raised on grass and grain to one year. Then they are sold to be finished and harvested in the Midwest because of the proximity to feed and harvest yards. Kentucky didn’t have high amount of feed until the last 10 years. Today, we have more crop land, and you will see more grain bins. We may be able to finish more cattle here in the future. A finished calf weighing 1,200-1,400 pounds is worth $1 to $1.05 per pound.

Photo by Sharyn Whitman

Plant-based food options are plentiful in area Kroger stores.

John Edwards, 40, president of the Trimble County Cattleman’s Association, took on that challenge with his partners to open a  local processing facility in Henry County, Ky. He and fellow cattleman Chris Wright opened Trackside Butcher Shop in Campbellsburg, Ky., four years ago.
Family farms used to finish and sell their own beef, traveling more than an hour for processing. It makes a big difference for local farmers to have a processing facility that is close to their farms. Edwards said the community was very welcoming and supportive of this new local facility. The bulk of the business is processing for farmers who sell directly to customers, either as a “side of beef’ or through local farmers’ markets. They also provide custom processing for local hunters during deer season.
The Trimble County Cattlemen’s Association is a group of local farmers who meet quarterly over a meal, usually grilling steaks or barbecuing beef brisket. They listen to speakers on nutrition, herd health, veterinary issues and state-wide information from the University of Kentucky. Trimble County Cattlemen also get together annually with their counterparts in Oldham, Henry and Shelby counties for a similar “Field Day” event at a local farm. Edwards has hosted that group at his farm. He is still a part-time farmer in addition to being a meat processor.
When it comes to meatless meat, Edwards said, “farmers feel strongly about the use of the word meat. As a USDA-approved meat processor, we are subject to strict labeling laws. Calling an item meat that is not real meat would be considered mislabeling or lying.”
Edwards continued, “It’s funny – people have been so against GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods. They say anything GMO can kill you. Why are these same people onboard for meatless meat? As a Christian and as a farmer, I believe God put animals here as food since the days of Creation.”
He has no issue with individuals who want to eat a plant-based diet as a vegetarian or vegan. However, in his opinion, there is no reason to label plant-based products with the word meat.
Culinary trends analyst Kara Nielsen observed, “These products (faux-meat alternatives) are not targeted toward vegans who have been avoiding burgers for years and don’t necessarily crave a realistic fake meat. The meat alternatives are seeking market share from the beef, pork and poultry industries.” 
The challenges of labeling and marketing natural products vs. manufactured substitutes is not a new issue. In the late 1800s, butter substitutes were being developed. As a result, Congress passed the Oleomargarine Act of 1886. It defined the essence of butter and levied a 2 cent per pound tax on oleomargarine, a butter substitute made from animal fat. Six states completely banned the sale of margarine (Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio.). By the early 1900s, color restrictions were placed on butter substitutes. Three states required it to be dyed pink (Vermont, New Hampshire and South Dakota).
Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal to enforce “the adulteration of food.” However, using the color yellow for margarine was banned for many years. The last state to repeal the ban on yellow colored margarine was Wisconsin, in 1967. A quick look at the shelves in any grocery store today will find products such as Blue Bonnet, Parkay and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter in the same case as Land O’ Lakes, Dean’s and other butter brands, but they are not labeled as butter.
The dairy industry is facing similar challenges regarding the use of the work “milk.” The USDA defines milk as “the lacteal secretion obtained from one or more healthy milk-producing animals.” One tongue-in-check question online asks, “How do you milk an almond?” The label on a gallon of Prairie Farms 2 Percent Reduced Fat Milk lists the following ingredients: reduced fat milk, Vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D-3. A one-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 25 percent of the daily value of calcium.
The label on unsweetened Silk Almondmilk lists 10 ingredients, warnings about allergens and the words “Not to be Used as Infant Formula” in bold red letters. It contains only 1 gram of protein and 45 percent of the daily value of calcium.

Read the label

Whether the food item is a dairy, beef or plant-based product, Edwards encourages consumers to read labels. He noted that today most individuals are far removed from the sources of their food. It makes a difference in their understanding of what impacts the quality of their food.
The American Heart Association offers the following tips for healthy eating for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters. A meatless meal doesn’t automatically translate to less saturated fat. Swapping quiche for steak is not helping heart health. When eating meat, choose the leanest cut available and cook it appropriately. The AHA recommends limiting portion size to no more than six ounces of lean meat per serving and preferably three ounces – about the size of a deck of cards.
Dawn Jackson Blatner, nutrition consultant to the Chicago Cubs and author of “The Superfood Swap,” commented on the health impact of various burger options in a September 2019 article posted on www.GoodHousekeeping.com. Her conclusion: “If you’re looking for a healthier meal, the Beyond Burger is no healthier than a grass-fed beef burger, turkey burger or chicken burger. You should find the best meat you can afford – organic if possible – keep to small patties of four ounces or less and rotate through your favorites.”
Finally, there a price consideration. One pound of Beyond Burgers (two eight-ounce packages), costs just under $14. That $14 could also buy more than two pounds of ground beef or simply a great steak.

In the future there may also be lab-grown beef. In 2013, the first products at the research level cost $300,000 for a one quarter-pound patty. In 2018, Memphis Meats had reduced the cost down to about $600 for a one quarter-pound patty.

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