Agricultural News
Research Key to Backing Beef Says NCBA's Dr. Shalene McNeill
Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:50:34 CST
Red meat often gets a bad rap, that's why the beef industry has a registered dietitian and nutritional scientist standing up for the protein source. Dr. Shalene McNeill serves as the Executive Director for Nutrition Education for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). As the cattle industry's nutritional spokesperson, she said her role includes pushing back against regulatory authorities that make accusatory statements regarding red meat. She often sees people's perceptions on beef are not based on science. NCBA recently reviewed a report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a division of the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency decided to evaluate red and processed meat for carcinogenicity to determine if the science supported whether red and processed meat caused cancer.
"Ultimately, they concluded that red meat was a probable cause of cancer," McNeill said.
She told Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays that checkoff-funded research and other science has concluded that single foods do not cause cancer and it comes back to an overall unhealthy and unbalanced diet that can increase your risk for cancer. This report also raised concerns among the public.
"The public really questioned the reliability of that conclusion and we saw huge backlash by the public not believing those results," McNeill said.
While they were unable to change the outcome of the report, she said they provided scientific nutritional research to the WHO. McNeill said the WTO also stepped back from the report by saying they would take a closer look at the conclusions, because the outcome was so controversial. By providing science-based information in a timely manner, she said the public listened. She said they were able to take that research and use it to defend the industry.
McNeill is featured in today's Beef Buzz. Today is part two of a three part series. Ron's complete conversation with McNeill can be heard by clicking here.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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