National Bison Month & Beneficial Insects

National Bison Month & Beneficial Insects

National Bison Month & Beneficial Insects plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

National Bison Month, celebrated each July, is a time in which American bison producers and marketers promote the delicious taste of bison burgers, steaks and roasts as a summer grilling alternative. According to the National Bison Association, the growing demand for bison meat reflects the desire among many people to enjoy great tasting food that is part of a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy environment.

Growing up I knew a girl who was afraid of any bug or insect. Didn’t matter if it was good or bad. Of course we tormented her as kids do. But a lot of insects can be beneficial according to National Institute For Food and Agriculture Administrator Sonny Ramaswamy.

RAMASWAMY: People will think of a honey bee because honey bees do two things for us; one is they produce honey and the other bigger, more significant part is they pollinate our crops. And in fact without pollination, you and I would be in a whole heap of trouble because we’ll not be able to eat a lot of the foods that we consume.

While not a beneficial insect, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has a beneficial insect that helps control it.

RAMASWAMY: Recently scientists and others went to Asia and brought back some tiny little wasps and those things feed exclusively on Marmorated Stink Bugs.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

Remember that song Barbara Mandrell used to sing, “I was country when country wasn’t cool”. Well, I can say that I loved mustard before mustard became cool, or maybe I should say hot. Suddenly it seems mustard is the condiment everyone wants to be seen eating. The gourmet foodie crowd has chosen mustard as its condiment of choice, and the different flavors of mustard suddenly available at the grocery store would make George French’s head spin. When I was growing up my Dad used to eat mustard sandwiches; yup, nothing but two pieces of bread slathered with good old yellow mustard and slapped together. Little did Dad know that he was a mustard connoisseur ahead of his time. Mustard makers are also touting mustard as a healthy condiment choice, with one French company’s ad campaign stating that “Farmers make our mustard zero calories, not scientists”. Mustard may be finding it’s way into fancier establishments, but mustard will never loose it’s simple down home appeal. It will continue to be a favorite on hot dogs, bologna sandwiches, and hamburgers, and if there are those who choose to eat it on escargot, the more the merrier.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network. 

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