Whats in your burger????

[Anonymous]

I found this so I thought I would pass it along.

We as cattle producers are very passionate about this. McDonald's claims that there is not enough beef in the USA to support their restaurants. Well...we know that is not so. My opinion is that they are looking to save money at our expense. The sad thing about it is that the people of the USA are the ones who made McDonald's successful in the first place, but McDonald's doesn't feel compelled to buy beef from the very people who helped that success come about. We personally are no longer eating at McDonald's, which I am sure does not make an impact, but if we pass this around maybe there will be an impact felt. Please pass on your opinion. Just to add a note, all Americans that sell cattle at a livestock auction barn have to sign a paper stating that we NEVER feed our cows any part of another cow. As yet, South Americans are not required to do this. McDonald's has announced that they are going to start importing much of their beef from South America. The problem is that South Americans aren't under the same regulations as American beef producers, and the regulations they have are loosely controlled. They can spray numerous pesticides on their pastures that have been banned here at home because of residues found in the beef. They can also use various hormones and growth regulators that we can't. The American public needs to be aware of this problem and that they may be putting themselves at risk from now on by eating at good old McDonald's. American ranchers raise the highest quality beef in the world, and this is what Americans deserve to eat...not beef from countries where quality is loosely controlled. Therefore, I am proposing a boycott of McDonald's until they see the light. I'm sorry, but everything is not always about the bottom line, and when it comes to jeopardizing my family's health, that is where I draw the line. Acting together, we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on.

 

[Anonymous]

The U.S.A is and has been a net importer of beef since 1951, it can't supply all it's own beef. At least at a price agreeable to American consumers.

The beef McDonalds is trying, is almost garanteed to be from Australia or New Zealand. South America hasn't got herd health status to import much if any beef.

I won't eat at McDonalds, but that has nothing to do with where their burgers come from, they just taste bad. I am not interested in trying to raise hamburger for them at 68 cents a pound (17 cent 1/4 pounder patties), I'd rather sell a premium product for a premium price.

If you want to boycott them, get the right reason. They don't do justice to beef.

Jason Trowbridge Southern Angus Farms Alberta Canada

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone,

McDonalds is NOT the only one not buying American raised Beef, Wendy's And Burgert King are also buying beef raised out of counrty. The main places they are buying beef from are Australia and New Zealand (SP). Write your congress person and let them know you feel there needs to be an import fee or tariff on these products, there are rules and regulations that govern us as producers, they should also aply to other counrties and be enforced. The Beef they are buying is cutter/canner quality beef, and I know damn well this counrty has more than enough to meet the demand. Do Not support them buy purchasing food there, I don't care how much they have trained children to whine for it.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I also heard that McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King have stated that they don't like American beef because our hamburger is too fat. We raise our beef for tender steaks, and according to what I read about this in AGRINEWS, if you get tender steaks, then you have fat hamburger. If you raise lean hamburger, then you have tough steaks. Limousin are famous for lean beef, hamburger, and tender steaks ( one count for Limousin, eh?). I don't care why these companies are using something other than American beef. I will be boycotting them... and Jason is right, their burgers leave a lot to be desired, but.... I took some comfort in knowing that the kids flipping burgers were from our community. Now, I will be looking for the local diner... the discount places can find someone else to foist their anti-American garbage off on to... and I won't do it quietly, either! If other nation's beef was as good or safe as the USA beef, then why would they be complaining about country of origin labeling? I have been impressed with how many town folks really do care about where their beef comes from. They may think that the milk in their dairy case doesn't come from a dairy farm, but they are under NO illusions about food safety and which country has the safest beef.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

While all this talk of boycott, etc. gives you the feeling of moral superiority, it's all just peeing in the wind. Americans want cheap food, hell we're used to it. Cheap fast food is even better. Unless you can get the "yellow" journalists behind an idea it will never amount to anything. We've been importing beef for years and will continue. Unless you are raising old, wornout surplus dairy cows I don't see how you are really affected by the cheap imported beef. Probably more unhealthy (read contaminated) food is caused by poor health standards and unsafe practices once the stuff reaches the food outlet. I just can't bring myself to calling them restaurants. Not the kind of practices that will cause a wide spread outbreak, but the guy that doesn't wash his hands after he takes a cr, uses the rest room, has a cold and drips snot on the food, just the little things like that. Point of origin labeling, yah right. Some shyster somewhere will figure out a way around that. Tariffs? Then we'll whine because other countrys impose or raise tariffs on our products and claim they're trying to keep us out of their markets. I personally don't like the K or Wal- marts, and do as little business with them as I can, but I'm still reduced to using them from time to time. In small town America, the "marts" are frequently the only major shopping facility. To avoid using them I would have to travel 75 miles and spend a day in a mall. Sorry sports fans, I'll swallow my pride and spend my time more constructively. At midnight when traveling, most times all that is open is one of the name brand burger joints. It's just a fact of life. I'll like to go back to a simpler time, like when I was a kid, but in this area that would mean, no electricity, one paved road, etc. BTW electricity didn't make it to this neck of the woods till the early fiftys, there are people still working for the electric company that were involved in electrification of this area and remember hand milking 20-30 cows. I'm not saying that "tilting at windmills" is a bad thing, just don't expect it to make any difference.

dunmovin farms

> I found this so I thought I would
> pass it along.

> We as cattle producers are very
> passionate about this. McDonald's
> claims that there is not enough
> beef in the USA to support their
> restaurants. Well...we know that
> is not so. My opinion is that they
> are looking to save money at our
> expense. The sad thing about it is
> that the people of the USA are the
> ones who made McDonald's
> successful in the first place, but
> McDonald's doesn't feel compelled
> to buy beef from the very people
> who helped that success come
> about. We personally are no longer
> eating at McDonald's, which I am
> sure does not make an impact, but
> if we pass this around maybe there
> will be an impact felt. Please
> pass on your opinion. Just to add
> a note, all Americans that sell
> cattle at a livestock auction barn
> have to sign a paper stating that
> we NEVER feed our cows any part of
> another cow. As yet, South
> Americans are not required to do
> this. McDonald's has announced
> that they are going to start
> importing much of their beef from
> South America. The problem is that
> South Americans aren't under the
> same regulations as American beef
> producers, and the regulations
> they have are loosely controlled.
> They can spray numerous pesticides
> on their pastures that have been
> banned here at home because of
> residues found in the beef. They
> can also use various hormones and
> growth regulators that we can't.
> The American public needs to be
> aware of this problem and that
> they may be putting themselves at
> risk from now on by eating at good
> old McDonald's. American ranchers
> raise the highest quality beef in
> the world, and this is what
> Americans deserve to eat...not
> beef from countries where quality
> is loosely controlled. Therefore,
> I am proposing a boycott of
> McDonald's until they see the
> light. I'm sorry, but everything
> is not always about the bottom
> line, and when it comes to
> jeopardizing my family's health,
> that is where I draw the line.
> Acting together, we can make a
> difference. If this makes sense to
> you, please pass this message on.

 

[Anonymous]

For another side of the story take a look at the article from the site listed below -- it's a response by MacDonalds to the Texas Farm Bureau regarding this issue.

There's a lot of mis-information floating around and everything is not as it at first seems. I'm not smart enough to know who's right. But I'm at times perplexed by those that seem to want to preclude imports, but who at the same time are thrilled to have other countries import OUR products. The sort that say "we don't want YOU to send US your hamburger, but WE sure want to send YOU (and other countries)our high priced cuts of beef, or our top of the line breeding stock, corn, machinery, etc., etc.

<A HREF="http://www.txfb.org/TexasAgriculture/2002/060702/060702opinions.htm" TARGET="_blank">www.txfb.org/TexasAgriculture/2002/060702/060702opinions.htm</A>

 

[Anonymous]

I like boycotts. It saves me money to begin with. At one point, my family didn't go or do anything for six months before hubby decided my pigheadedness was just downright BORING! Anyway, I am the one at the San Diego Farm Bureau convention a few years back that told a whole crowd of people that if you didn't want to label your food as coming from the USA... then maybe you should stop marketing your produce... better yet, get out of the business. There are just some things that America should stand for no matter what, and the best, safest food in the world should top the list. Yes, I may be tilting at windmills.... I am not even sure what that means, but spitting in the wind, I do understand. Reminds me of: Watch the words you say, keep them soft and sweet, for one fine day, you will find out which ones you have to eat. At any rate: If one does not set their standards high, then one is never disappointed when things slide into a morass. Call me a protectionist, but I have never understood why anyone in America was hungry since we are the ones that feed how many others in the world???? We don't need anything that anyone in the rest of the world has... we have it all right here. So, I don't care if we export or not. I object to us sending billions in foreign aid and having someone say we are "exporting".... ??? This big world view is downright confusing to me. Which is not to say it may exist, just that it doesn't make much sense..... the bottom line is: we all do what we personally are ready to take responsibility for. We are outspoken about what we think because there are so many around us who haven't made up their mind yet, and if we who know our product don't speak up, just who will? In the end, I believe that GOD is in control... thank GOD, since the brightest minds I have seen are woefully inadequate to sort out all the details. In the meantime, I will be out standing in my field, planning the next calving season. Until tomorrow, y'all have a good day, you hear???? lol

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Our neighbors to the north may question "the safest food in the world" Don Quixote tilted at windmills I must be too old if I can remember stuff that is common terminology for my generation and others haven't even heard of it Please, don't ask who Don Quixote was.

dunmovin farms

> I like boycotts. It saves me money
> to begin with. At one point, my
> family didn't go or do anything
> for six months before hubby
> decided my pigheadedness was just
> downright BORING! Anyway, I am the
> one at the San Diego Farm Bureau
> convention a few years back that
> told a whole crowd of people that
> if you didn't want to label your
> food as coming from the USA...
> then maybe you should stop
> marketing your produce... better
> yet, get out of the business.
> There are just some things that
> America should stand for no matter
> what, and the best, safest food in
> the world should top the list.
> Yes, I may be tilting at
> windmills.... I am not even sure
> what that means, but spitting in
> the wind, I do understand. Reminds
> me of: Watch the words you say,
> keep them soft and sweet, for one
> fine day, you will find out which
> ones you have to eat. At any rate:
> If one does not set their
> standards high, then one is never
> disappointed when things slide
> into a morass. Call me a
> protectionist, but I have never
> understood why anyone in America
> was hungry since we are the ones
> that feed how many others in the
> world???? We don't need anything
> that anyone in the rest of the
> world has... we have it all right
> here. So, I don't care if we
> export or not. I object to us
> sending billions in foreign aid
> and having someone say we are
> "exporting".... ??? This
> big world view is downright
> confusing to me. Which is not to
> say it may exist, just that it
> doesn't make much sense..... the
> bottom line is: we all do what we
> personally are ready to take
> responsibility for. We are
> outspoken about what we think
> because there are so many around
> us who haven't made up their mind
> yet, and if we who know our
> product don't speak up, just who
> will? In the end, I believe that
> GOD is in control... thank GOD,
> since the brightest minds I have
> seen are woefully inadequate to
> sort out all the details. In the
> meantime, I will be out standing
> in my field, planning the next
> calving season. Until tomorrow,
> y'all have a good day, you
> hear???? lol

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, I'm going to get into trouble here... 1) the US does not have the safest food in the world. 2) Recent world events indicate that others feel that the US doesn't have the world leadership that it feels it does. 3) Many people resent having someone elses ideas crammed down their throat and told to accept it as part of an aid package. If you're going to help someone, just do it. If you want to preach to them at the same time.....

So, boycott if you like. You have that right. Aid others if you desire, also your right. Claim that you are superior and be prepared for someone to fell you. I am Canadian, not American, and I am explaining one of the non-American viewpoints to you. I am not anti-American, although I will likely be bashed on this.

 

[Anonymous]

***** I agree.... I have the right given to me by.... you can fill in the blank. I agree about aiding others... never give something that you really don't want to give. If you infer from my statements or others like mine that superiority is being claimed.... I do not agree. As Babe Ruth said: It ain't bragging when you can do it. And, I sure don't hope anyone bashes anyone for stating their opinions. After all, an opinion means someone is thinking about something .... GOD knows we need more thinkers (who can actually produce what they are talking about) instead of silly headed emoticons that seem to be heard all over the place.

> So, boycott if you like. You have
> that right. Aid others if you
> desire, also your right. Claim
> that you are superior and be
> prepared for someone to fell you.
> I am Canadian, not American, and I
> am explaining one of the
> non-American viewpoints to you. I
> am not anti-American, although I
> will likely be bashed on this.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

***** LOL... I know about that Don Quixote fellow, at least have heard about him, just have never read the story, so don't know how he tilted at windmills... I do, however, CLEARLY understand spitting in the wind. having done it most of my life... but HEY! sometimes, it don't come back on me....

> Our neighbors to the north may
> question "the safest food in
> the world" Don Quixote tilted
> at windmills I must be too old if
> I can remember stuff that is
> common terminology for my
> generation and others haven't even
> heard of it Please, don't ask who
> Don Quixote was.

> dunmovin farms

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Vicki,

I appreciate your opinion. You know what they say: "Each person's perspective is their reality." Live in America, know nothing else but America and we tend to spout America. Now, I love my country and I'll go to battle for it, but it's definitely not perfect.

As for quality of health inspection, it varies from town to town. My former in-laws had a restaurant for several years, and it was immaculate, front and back. The health inspector said it was the only restaurant where he would eat. He used to bring his family in to celebrate birthdays, etc.

Now, last winter I walked into a McDonald's in Idaho and walked right back out. I seldom patronize McDonald's, but up until that day I had always found them to be acceptably clean. That particular store was gross! I was shocked.

I know meat processing facilities can be pretty bad, and I try to grow as much of our meat as possible. Friends borrow our pig feeder each year and grow an extra pig for us - we just pay for the one pig's feed and they do the labor.

We raise our own beef and I am comfortable with the quality. We choose our processing plant locally and it reeks of bleach each day before they are ready to close. If I had to, I would sit down and eat off their floor - it's that clean. The place is absolutely spotless. There have been times I've gone to pick up my meat and I knew my boots were dirty and I refused to walk through the back area - I went back outside and met the fellow on the dock. He would have been mopping and cleaning after I had walked through.

I would like to see country of origin labeling, if only to give the consumer an informed choice to make. When the canned seafood is labeled as coming from Thailand, or the grapes come from Chile, I do wonder what their safety standards are for food.

I've pretty much given up on the local fast food places. Some are very good, if the teenage help is closely supervised. Take away the close supervision and the sanitation can become iffy.

So, we pretty much stick with a locally owned regular restaurant, run by adults, whose owner is the cook. They have good beef, too.

> I like boycotts. It saves me money
> to begin with. At one point, my
> family didn't go or do anything
> for six months before hubby
> decided my pigheadedness was just
> downright BORING! Anyway, I am the
> one at the San Diego Farm Bureau
> convention a few years back that
> told a whole crowd of people that
> if you didn't want to label your
> food as coming from the USA...
> then maybe you should stop
> marketing your produce... better
> yet, get out of the business.
> There are just some things that
> America should stand for no matter
> what, and the best, safest food in
> the world should top the list.
> Yes, I may be tilting at
> windmills.... I am not even sure
> what that means, but spitting in
> the wind, I do understand. Reminds
> me of: Watch the words you say,
> keep them soft and sweet, for one
> fine day, you will find out which
> ones you have to eat. At any rate:
> If one does not set their
> standards high, then one is never
> disappointed when things slide
> into a morass. Call me a
> protectionist, but I have never
> understood why anyone in America
> was hungry since we are the ones
> that feed how many others in the
> world???? We don't need anything
> that anyone in the rest of the
> world has... we have it all right
> here. So, I don't care if we
> export or not. I object to us
> sending billions in foreign aid
> and having someone say we are
> "exporting".... ??? This
> big world view is downright
> confusing to me. Which is not to
> say it may exist, just that it
> doesn't make much sense..... the
> bottom line is: we all do what we
> personally are ready to take
> responsibility for. We are
> outspoken about what we think
> because there are so many around
> us who haven't made up their mind
> yet, and if we who know our
> product don't speak up, just who
> will? In the end, I believe that
> GOD is in control... thank GOD,
> since the brightest minds I have
> seen are woefully inadequate to
> sort out all the details. In the
> meantime, I will be out standing
> in my field, planning the next
> calving season. Until tomorrow,
> y'all have a good day, you
> hear???? lol

 

[Anonymous]

Hey there,

Good to see there is a senceable business person out there. What the American public does not realize is that McDonalds feeds the CULL COWS, cattle I would put into my dogs food, to the folks buying there humburger. That is where there high quality LEAN beef comes from. Theye wont pay for the quality LEAN beef that is grown in this country, they cant when you only want to pay 99 cents for the whole damn burger, vegies, bread, cheese, etc.

The only people profiting from farming or raising beef or dairy are the middle men or retailers, certainly not the producer. Our products are being raised and fed out at a loss. I wonder what the "Do Gooder" public would think if they ran into One of those "Marts" and found stale or NO bread, No Milk etc. they might get ticked, and wonder what happened, but they have NO concept of what it costs to opperate or fuction to produce those things, they expect to be there all the time at the lowest possible cost thanks to Governmental Subsidies.

I will get off my soap box, but this Country Needs a WILD Reality Check to wake up and smell the Coffee.

We are getting close to becomming Communists, if we keep letting the government interfere with production and costs, we will end up with lines and poor quality products like Russia, if the producer can NOT make a Profit, where is the incentive to work hard and produce a good product. I certaintly don't feel better about myself or my effort when Wellfare programs spend my tax dollars to feed people that feel they are entitled to sit on their but all day and get fat, on food I had to work my but off to produce. Why work if the government will pay you to sit on your duff, oops I forgot, you also have to be black or and illegal immigrant to collect, real americans do not qualify, especialy farmers, they steel your land and give it to others who have payed them off. Does not matter that they have been taxing the crap out of them for the last several years, Congress and the House giving them selves huge pay raises, and million dollar retirement funds. If we want to do anything, it should be vote these jokers in congress out of office and elect someone with business sense to run the contry, cause those in office now have never had to make a dollar, they just know too well how to take one someone else worked for.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

"I forgot, you also have to be black
> or and illegal immigrant to
> collect, real americans do not
> qualify"

FYI I'm not sure if "illegal" immigrants can collect welfare. But I do know that being black does not mean you aren't a "real american"

 

[Anonymous]

***** Are you sure you want the answer to that one? I suppose, I will have to let this conversation go by the wayside.... however, you must realize that hard-working Americans get pretty tired of watching their labors going to support lifestyles and decisions so alien to what they know makes the difference between a strong nation and a nation of wimps. > FYI I'm not sure if
> "illegal" immigrants can
> collect welfare. But I do know
> that being black does not mean you
> aren't a "real american"

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

You know, I used to enjoy your posts, Omack. But this comment is uncalled for on this board. To suggest black Americans don't work as hard as white Americans is disgusting. And to suggest YOU speak for ALL hard working Americans is arrogant, to say the least.

answer to that one? I suppose, I
> will have to let this conversation
> go by the wayside.... however, you
> must realize that hard-working
> Americans get pretty tired of
> watching their labors going to
> support lifestyles and decisions
> so alien to what they know makes
> the difference between a strong
> nation and a nation of wimps. >
> FYI I'm not sure if

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

> For another side of the story take
> a look at the article from the
> site listed below -- it's a
> response by MacDonalds to the
> Texas Farm Bureau regarding this
> issue.

> There's a lot of mis-information
> floating around and everything is
> not as it at first seems. I'm not
> smart enough to know who's right.
> But I'm at times perplexed by
> those that seem to want to
> preclude imports, but who at the
> same time are thrilled to have
> other countries import OUR
> products. The sort that say
> "we don't want YOU to send US
> your hamburger, but WE sure want
> to send YOU (and other
> countries)our high priced cuts of
> beef, or our top of the line
> breeding stock, corn, machinery,
> etc., etc.

>
> <A HREF="http://www.txfb.org/TexasAgriculture/2002/060702/060702opinions.htm" TARGET="_blank">www.txfb.org/TexasAgriculture/2002/060702/060702opinions.htm</A>

This is a good article, as the article illustrates,the reason they are going to Australia and New Zealand for some of their beef is to obtain LEAN BEEF. What they are going for are the Murray Grey's......(Grass Fed Beef is the Best)



[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

> Hey there,

> Good to see there is a senceable
> business person out there. What
> the American public does not
> realize is that McDonalds feeds
> the CULL COWS, cattle I would put
> into my dogs food, to the folks
> buying there humburger. That is
> where there high quality LEAN beef
> comes from. Theye wont pay for the
> quality LEAN beef that is grown in
> this country, they cant when you
> only want to pay 99 cents for the
> whole damn burger, vegies, bread,
> cheese, etc.

> The only people profiting from
> farming or raising beef or dairy
> are the middle men or retailers,
> certainly not the producer. Our
> products are being raised and fed
> out at a loss. I wonder what the
> "Do Gooder" public would
> think if they ran into One of
> those "Marts" and found
> stale or NO bread, No Milk etc.
> they might get ticked, and wonder
> what happened, but they have NO
> concept of what it costs to
> opperate or fuction to produce
> those things, they expect to be
> there all the time at the lowest
> possible cost thanks to
> Governmental Subsidies.

> I will get off my soap box, but
> this Country Needs a WILD Reality
> Check to wake up and smell the
> Coffee.

> We are getting close to becomming
> Communists, if we keep letting the
> government interfere with
> production and costs, we will end
> up with lines and poor quality
> products like Russia, if the
> producer can NOT make a Profit,
> where is the incentive to work
> hard and produce a good product. I
> certaintly don't feel better about
> myself or my effort when Wellfare
> programs spend my tax dollars to
> feed people that feel they are
> entitled to sit on their but all
> day and get fat, on food I had to
> work my but off to produce. Why
> work if the government will pay
> you to sit on your duff, oops I
> forgot, you also have to be black
> or and illegal immigrant to
> collect, real americans do not
> qualify, especialy farmers, they
> steel your land and give it to
> others who have payed them off.
> Does not matter that they have
> been taxing the crap out of them
> for the last several years,
> Congress and the House giving them
> selves huge pay raises, and
> million dollar retirement funds.
> If we want to do anything, it
> should be vote these jokers in
> congress out of office and elect
> someone with business sense to run
> the contry, cause those in office
> now have never had to make a
> dollar, they just know too well
> how to take one someone else
> worked for.

Hear! Hear!...[Standing Ovation]

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

> "I forgot, you also have to
> be black

> FYI I'm not sure if
> "illegal" immigrants can
> collect welfare. But I do know
> that being black does not mean you
> aren't a "real american"

Of course, we all realize that there are Black Ranchers and farmers out there that are struggling as much as everyone else.But that realization does not diminish the rampant abuses of the "system".We no longer have a Republic,we have a very socialist system. And FYI, the illegal immigrants are collecting social security, medicaid, etc that our tax dollars are providing.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I was not responding to the black issue... I was thinking about the question.... immigrants (I think the term was illegal, but don't quite remember) getting welfare. California and Texas know all too well that welfare dollars are not JUST going to American citizens.... that is what I was thinking we didn't want to get into. I probably should have just ignored the whole convo.

[email protected]