Sigh of relief over warning label exemption for ground meat
/by Carissa Geddes
As consumers, we’re constantly told what we should and shouldn’t eat. For example, we’re told to increase our intake of fruits and vegetables, limit sodium, and avoid excess saturated fat. So, when Health Canada proposed that ground beef and ground pork products would be required to have front-of-package labelling indicating that the products are high in saturated fat, it caused an uproar in the agriculture industry.
The proposed labelling caused concerns among farmers and ranchers across Canada as they weren’t sure how this would affect the industry. The war on red meat has been at the top of producers’ minds in recent years, and this proposed labelling appeared to be another tactic to discourage consumers from purchasing and eating these products.
Many producers also questioned whether the purpose of the proposed labelling was really to educate consumer decisions and why the labels wouldn’t also highlight the positive aspects of the products. When I think about these meat products, I think about their health benefits. For instance, they’re naturally rich in protein, iron, and other essential vitamins, including vitamins B-6 and B-12.
However, the industry soon took action thanks to the exceptional efforts of producers and consumers. They began coordinating efforts through the “Don’t Label My Beef” campaign to prevent this proposed labelling from being approved.
Then, the Canadian government released the following statement at the end of June: “In response to extensive consultations and engagement, which included the agriculture and agri-food sector, some adjustments to the regulations were made, including a number of exemptions that have been made for technical, practical, and health-related reasons. A technical exemption was given for single-ingredient ground meats, recognizing that they are as nutritious as whole cuts.”
With this announcement came a sigh of relief from the agriculture industry, especially from farmers and ranchers raising pork and beef. Ground beef and other ground meat products can continue to be acknowledged as the accessible and nutritious source of protein that they are.
It just goes to show that when producers and consumers join forces on causes that they’re passionate about, change is possible. Now more than ever, it’s essential that producers and consumers work together to promote the importance of not just eating meat but simultaneously supporting local farmers. It’s just as crucial that consumers receive accurate information to make an educated decision about what they’re purchasing, and what better way to get that information than directly from the individuals who are raising their food?
In the end, farmers and ranchers want consumers to enjoy the product they’ve worked tirelessly on to get to their plates, and consumers want to be told that they’re allowed to enjoy meat products such as ground beef.
(Carissa Geddes is working as a summer assistant with the Maritime Beef Council. Her family has a beef operation in Irishtown, N.B., and she’s been showing cattle for about 10 years. She was recently accepted into the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown and will begin her first year of the program this fall.)
