Beef Producers Promote Positive Image of Agriculture

Moms from the Chicago area toured Larson Farms of Maple Park and learned about the beef industry.

A Chicago-area mom gave beef producers Mike and Lynn Martz the ultimate endorsement after touring their Maple Park farm on Sept. 21. She expressed concerns about hormones in beef, but after a presentation about hormones in food from Mike she said she feels confident about choosing beef for dinner.

Welcome to the second year of Illinois Farm Families (IFF) Field Moms – a program for Chicago-area mothers who have questions about farming and how their food is raised. IFF is a coalition of commodity groups for beef, pork, dairy, corn, soy and the Illinois Farm Bureau.

The Field Moms were able to tour the Martz's cattle handling facility and learned about the process of ultrasounding cattle. They also viewed the cattle in barns while Mike explained the benefits of confinement feeding from an animal welfare standpoint. He also showed the Field Moms a variety of cattle feeds and discussed nutrition.

Moms experience a cattle handling facility.

Before a lunch of roast beef sandwiches, Mike gave a presentation about hormones in food and explained marbling, steak selection, and the USDA beef grading system.

Mike Martz used M&Ms to help Chicago moms visualize the hormone estrogen levels in food. Mike took four jars, enlisting the help of his grandson, and filled each with an M&M to represent each nanogram in the following: (from l to r) 29,400 nanograms (ng) in a single birth control pill, 225 ng in a baked potato, 1.9 ng in a 3 oz.  steak from a steer treated with growth-promotants, and 1.3 ng in a steak from an untreated steer.

Mike pointed out the moms were not the only ones that learned from the experience.

“We get a better idea of our consumers and their thoughts,” he said. “The moms were very open-minded and had great questions. The Field Moms program is a great way to share our story about the beef industry.”

After the tour, the 18 Field Moms in attendance were asked to blog about their experience. Read their thoughts about beef by clicking on the select links below or by visiting www.watchusgrow.org.

Why Consumers Can't Have the iPhone 5, Sprawling Suburbs and the Pitchforked Farmer Too

Amina Nevels, Chicago

“With farmers being charged with feeding more than just their family and their town, and with less space to do it, farmers (although still good stewards of the land) are seeking efficient and effective ways to raise livestock and cultivate the land within the changing times.”

Let’s Talk About Hormones in Meat

Christa Grabske, Mt. Prospect

“After my visit to a cattle farm, I feel even more confident about choosing beef for dinner."

Visiting A CAFO

Katie Grossart, Chicago

“I was amazed at both the amount of work and the amount of technology that goes into farming on Larson Farms.”