Beef Industry Participates in Annual Dietetic Conference

DENVER, Colo. (October 12, 2001) - Through their checkoff, beef producers will play an active role in The American Dietetic Association`s (ADA) 2001 Food & Nutrition Conference & Exhibition in St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 20-23. With four industry-sponsored educational sessions, an exhibit booth and main sponsorship of the Gala Dinner, the beef industry will be well represented at this gathering of nutrition authorities.

About 9,500 health professionals attended last year’s conference, and the industry’s information booth reached more than 3,000 of them.

The beef industry booth in the Trade Show will contain three stations. Visitors to the first station can sample chili made with pre-cooked ground beef crumbles; pick up a sample packet of industry resources at the second; and receive a free tote bag and learn more about the Council for Women’s Nutrition Solutions (CWNS) program at the third station. Several CWNS members will be participating in the conference.

The beef checkoff is also helping sponsor the meal for the Foundation Dinner Gala on Monday, Oct. 22. This year’s theme is “Gateway to Giving.”

All four of the industry’s educational sessions will be held on Sunday, Oct. 21. “Research to Practice: The Role of Protein in Weight Management and Blood Glucose Control” will examine new scientific research regarding the emerging role of moderate protein diets in metabolic control and dietary compliance. “Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Recent Advances in Breast Cancer Prevention and Diabetes” will present pioneering clinical studies on the role of CLA - a unique fatty acid found in meat and dairy products - in diabetes management and breast cancer risk reduction. “The Consumer’s Shopping List: Tapping the Power of Nutrition, Convenience and Psychology on Food Choices” will explore the interaction between personal psychology, lifestyle trends and food consumption. And “The College Years: A Missed Opportunity?” will examine the health behaviors of college students.

According to Jay O’Brien, chairman of the beef industry’s Nutrition & Health Committee and a beef producer from Amarillo, Texas, the ADA Conference offers a unique opportunity to share facts about beef with an audience of thought leaders crucial to the industry.

“Professionals at this conference are key influencers on what kinds of foods Americans should be including in their diets,” O’Brien said. “The beef industry has a lot of positive, helpful information to share with dietitians and nutritionists to expand their understanding of the nutritional value of beef. Additionally, beef industry involvement enhances our reputation in the nutrition field.”

Beef industry nutrition efforts are funded by beef producers through their $1-per-head checkoff program, which is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. This 110-member board is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to oversee the collection of the $1-per-head checkoff, certify state beef councils, implement the provisions of the federal order establishing the checkoff and evaluate the effectiveness of checkoff programs.

Coordination for this checkoff-funded nutrition project is being provided by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the NCBA is the trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.

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Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the National Cattlemen`s Beef Association is the trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.