04/02/07 Teaching nutrition to kids

An obvious Beef Checkoff priority is to build beef customers. A Wyoming dairy producer, is actively involved in helping to guide beef checkoff funded youth education programs. Scott George believes one key to long term success for his industry is reaching young people with facts about beef nutrition. GEORGE "The children are our consumers for tomorrow. They also influence their parents on what they buy and what they serve, but for the main part, we're concerned about those children because they will be the buyers in future years." In 2004 Congress told school districts across the nation to develop wellness policies. The beef checkoff developed School Wellness Tool Kit gives these schools a comprehensive nutrition resource. GEORGE -"This kit shows the children what nutrients they're missing and what they lack. And so, we have shown them the things that they need to try to get more of, and beef just fits right in there so well. With Zinc, and Iron, and Protein, and the B-complex vitamins, it's wonderful." So why does a dairy producer work so hard to promote beef? GEORGE "The beef industry has a direct impact on our profitability. We're not only selling milk, we're selling milk and beef and so, it directly has an impact on our bottom line." Dairy breeds account for more than 22 percent of the US beef supply. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott