Canada Beef continues work with IMS Human Nutrition Committee to pump up positive story for red meat.

Calgary, AB – November 24, 2014 – In efforts to increase positive messaging around beef in human health and wellness, Canada Beef is pleased to continue its work with the International Meat Secretariat’s (IMS) Human Nutrition Committee.

With an exciting nutrition story to share, Canada Beef’s participation with IMS is a highly valuable addition to advocacy and education work done by Canada Beef to promote beef’s role in a healthy diet. Backed by science and a global platform of experts, coordinating efforts with the IMS Human Nutrition Committee makes an important contribution towards ensuring attitudes and policies regarding beef consumption reflect scientific fact.

“Nutrition is a core piece of our brand story. Canadian beef is packed with essential nutrients and is an anchor to healthy eating, and we need to leverage opportunities like collaboration with the IMS Human Nutrition Committee to advocate for positive beef messaging,” said Rob Meijer, President, Canada Beef.

Safeguarding beef’s place in a healthy diet is the singular focus of Canada Beef’s Health and Nutrition program. The purpose of the IMS Human Nutrition Committee is to ensure that the red meat story is properly told around the world.

“The committee is a collaboration of global nutrition professionals involved in providing current, evidence based information about the nutritional qualities of red meats and their role in healthy, sustainable diets,” said Karine Barlow, RD, Director, Health and Nutrition, Canada Beef.

In addition to her ongoing work with IMS, Barlow attended the 2014 IMS Nutrition Committee gathering in Orlando, which tabled the most current food and nutrition issues impacting red meat.

“One recurring theme was the growing overlap between nutrition and food skills. With food skills on the decline globally, this poses a threat to keeping red meat on the tables of the consumer, as knowledge about selecting and cooking red meat is tightly linked to consumers’ skills in food preparation,” said Barlow.

Canada Beef’s Joyce Parslow, Director, Consumer Marketing, was asked to address both the Marketing and Human Nutrition Committee at the Orlando meeting on the food skills topic as a marketing opportunity for beef. The presentation was also delivered earlier this year at the 21st IMS General Assembly on June 14, 2014 in Beijing.

Parslow’s presentation highlighted the links between food skills, food literacy, food security, family economics and health, and how beef can play a role in the discussion of food skills.

“All this buzz about the lack of food skills as it relates to public health creates an opportunity for the meat industry and it needs to be our ‘ah-ha’ moment”, said Parslow. “Meat is a wholesome, single ingredient staple and research has shown that as a part of ‘from scratch’ meals, meat anchors a healthy plate and encourages a wider use of vegetables and healthy eating habits.”

The IMS Human Nutrition Committee will focus attention on two themes in the upcoming 2015 meeting – red meat and cancer, and the nutrient density of red meat as a key strategy to defend meat’s value as a sustainable part of healthy diets.

Canada Beef has held an active role with the IMS Human Nutrition Committee since 1997.

Canada Beef Inc. is the cattle producer-funded and run organization responsible for domestic and international beef and veal market development. It has offices in Canada, Mexico, Japan, China and Taiwan. Canada Beef Inc. works to foster loyalty to the Canadian beef brand and build strong relationships with trade customers and partners. These efforts increase demand for Canadian beef and the value producers receive for their cattle.

For more information, please contact:
Ron Glaser
VP, Corporate Affairs and Operations, Canada Beef Inc.
(403) 275-5890