Comment and Kudo's on the so called McBurger Controversy

Going the rounds are a Snopes verified True/False Multiple Choice exposé on McDonald's importing beef because there is, supposedly, not enough to be had from the American Cattle industry sources...

~

This "controversy" is misdirected, in my opinion, in that it's focused on something ginned up by the American Cattle Feeders Association or some such acronym for what is actually the Force Fed Beef - Feed Lot Cattle Association. <A made up term - coined for a reason> Cattle Feeder's and Feed Lot groups are the source for this tempest in a teapot; these folks are involved in the the age old shell game known as free promotion. It's simly done by protesting the perceived injustice of their members; No secrete that to a man/woman they are against McDonald's beef patty out-sourcing choices.

~

In my opinion - Mickey D's is looking to develop a source of beef that is NOT of the ilk they are now buying from American Cattle Feed Lots. Put simply, they are buying and importing cattle still fed on grass. This phase in has picked up speed since a recent expose on the media, and the multitude of high quality chronicles about the beef industry such as wikipedia or http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E5DB153BF932A05750C0A9649C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all stating things like this snippet from the above link, 
Power Steer By MICHAEL POLLAN

Published: March 31, 2002:

"Cows raised on grass simply take longer to reach slaughter weight than cows raised on a richer diet, and the modern meat industry has devoted itself to shortening a beef calf's allotted time on earth. ''In my grandfather's day, steers were 4 or 5 years old at slaughter,'' explained Rich Blair, who, at 45, is the younger of the brothers by four years. ''Now we get there at 14 to 16 months.'' Fast food indeed. What gets a beef calf from 80 to 1,200 pounds in 14 months are enormous quantities of corn, protein supplements -- and drugs, including growth hormones. These ''efficiencies,'' all of which come at a price, have transformed raising cattle into a high-volume, low-margin business. Not everybody is convinced that this is progress."

~

In effect, Mickey D's appears to have read the tea leaves and understands that it is perpetuating an industry in this country that has substituted corn for grass as the prime food for cattle and it is being a proactive part of the industrial mechanism that is actively a major contributor which is causing the exponential growth of Type 2 Diabetes in this county. Corn fattened beef simply MEANS the heavier, juicier meat is chocked full of corn fat in the meat, which is why it tastes so much better than lean beef. Many meat packers actually brag about this factoid, to market their products to Americans litterally addicted to that particular taste <and High Fructose Corn Syrup in sweetend foods>. The Cattle Feeder's Association is absolutely in denial that corn fat in their beef are a major source for this murderous disease in spite of all the evidence in on that subject. If McDonald's ever gets stomped by a Class Action by attorneys for type 2 diabetes patients - I wonder how loudly the Cattle Association's of this country will protest, then?

~

Kudos for Mc D's for trying to find a better quality food source than a cow held upright in a sling for 9 months while being force fed corn. As is McDonald's right; and as is their responsibility.

~

As for myself? I've already cleared our shelves of products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup and am building a directory listing the foods that have HFCS. Now I'm considering joining my Vegan spouse in the practice of removal of ALL corn fed animal products from our diet. If I do, in addition to steak, that means no more chicken, shrimp, turkey, pork, catfish, and any number of foods that I haven't thought of at the time of this post. Now I see why so many have a struggle with meat issues.. It's a major, major life change.