PITTSBURG, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly has declared May as Beef Month, and plans to officially sign the proclamation at Lyons Ranch near Manhattan in the coming weeks, according to the Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) and Kansas Beef Council.
“KLA and the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) will be making Kansas residents aware of the hard work producers put in each day to provide high-quality beef to consumers within the state and around the world,” the KLA said in a press release Monday. “Members of KLA will be highlighted on the association’s Facebook page on various days throughout the month to give a glimpse into life on a ranch, in a feedyard, at an auction market and in a small meat processing facility. KLA and KBC staff also will be distributing information about the positive impacts the Kansas beef industry has on the environment, local communities and the state’s economy.”
According to Randall Debler, chair of the KBC Executive Committee, the value of beef to the economy and social fabric of the state is remarkable.
“Kansas ranks third in the country with more than 6.5 million cattle on ranches and in feedyards,” said Debler. “That’s more than twice the state’s human population.”
Kansas ranked second in fed cattle marketed, with roughly 6.7 million in 2020. In total, beef cattle and calves represented 51.4% of the 2020 Kansas agricultural cash receipts, bolstering and enhancing the spending power in local economies across the state, according to the KBC.
Not only does the marketed value of beef have a substantial impact on the economy, but the Kansas beef community also has a significant impact on employment, the KBC notes. According to the Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas meat packing and prepared meat products manufacturing make up the largest share of the food processing industry in the state. This industry provides employment for over 31,440 people in Kansas, including jobs in companies supplying goods and services to manufacturers, distributors and retailers, as well as those depending upon sales to workers in the meat industry.
The beef produced by Kansas beef farmers and ranchers, feeders and processors contributes substantially to human health at every life stage, according to the KBC. Research from gold-standard randomized, controlled trials, like a recent checkoff-funded study out of Pennsylvania State University demonstrates lean beef can be the protein of choice in many diets and people who eat about 5.5 ounces of lean fresh beef daily as part of a healthy diet can reduce heart disease risk factors, including total LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, the KBC said in its press release announcing Beef Month.
Kansas has about 45.7 million acres of farm ground. Not all of this land can be used to grow crops, however. Grazing cattle is an ideal technique for efficiently utilizing grasses and plants growing on over 15.5 million acres of Kansas pasture and rangeland. These acres would be wasted if not for ruminants like cattle who can turn these resources into essential protein and nutrients for humans. Additionally, grazing cattle helps maintain grasslands and reduce the fuel load, which can spark destructive wildfires.
“Kansas ranchers and feeders are committed to produce a wholesome and nutritious product responsibly and sustainably. However, beef production refined over many generations is only part of the story. Producers also keep consumer needs and wants top of mind,” Debler said.
“While all aspects of beef raising and processing are important, producing beef that is delicious, safe, wholesome and nutritious is ‘job one’ for our industry. After all, producers of beef are also consumers of the beef they produce. They are proud of their role in supplying this product that so many people enjoy.”
