Ranchers not happy about proposed ground beef warning label

Tacos, chili, hamburgers, meatloaf — all of those delicious dishes need ground beef.

But would you be as excited to eat them if there was a warning label on that meat?

Health Canada plans to put a warning on foods that have 15 per cent or more of the recommended daily intakes of sodium, sugar and saturated fat.

Its plan has a list of exemptions, but ground beef and pork are not on that list.

That has Ryder Lee, the CEO of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, feeling frustrated. He said the change could encourage people not to eat beef.

“(It’s) confusing people in the store. The nutrition labels to date … you talk to different people about how they use them and what they get out of them, it’s influenced by a lot of things and (one of them) might be the flavour of the day on the internet, for gosh sakes,” he said.

“But a warning from the government on the front of your food is something that we think has the potential to steer people away from ground beef.”

While he thinks Health Canada officials have good intentions, Lee thinks they’re going about it in completely the wrong way.

“I think what they’re looking to do is help people eat healthier, and healthier eating starts with home cooking. And this kind of warning is like a warning against home cooking,” he said.

He also doesn’t think it makes sense to criticize ground beef for having a high fat content.

For one, the amount of fat in beef changes when you cook it.

“It’s a different profile after cooking than before … Lots of people drain it, skim it, whatever. Some of us stir it back in,” Lee pointed out.

Also, he said that fat isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Fat’s a nutrient, too. It’s important for your nerves, for your brain (and) for feeling full so that you don’t keep eating,” he said.

Ground beef also contains important nutrients like Vitamin B12, protein and iron.

Dan Howell ranches cattle near Disley, and he agrees that the move would be bad for business.

“Have we had a problem before? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” he said.

“I don’t know what their rationale is behind it … but I know it’s not helpful … It’s totally bizarre. It’s not good for my blood pressure — because it gets me worked up, not because I’m eating beef.”

Lee is asking people to sign an online petition against the warning label.