May is National Beef Month

It’s not just grilling season that’s heating up, it’s the entire beef and cattle industry. Our industry faces a lot of challenges, just like every other industry. And May is the time to come together to celebrate the work we all do, and to recognize our friends and peers in every facet of the business. Beef is not just important to those of us who work in the industry, it is important to the entire agricultural community, the national economy and it is one of our most valuable exports. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cattle production is one of the most important agriculture industries in the U.S., totaling 94.8 million head of cattle at the start of 2019. Those numbers were down by 1.3 percent to 93.6 million cattle head in 2021 after a number of challenges, including droughts and the pandemic. 

AG America Lending reports that the top exports of beef go to Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Hong Kong, and Canadá, plus “U.S. beef cattle also represent one of the largest single segments of American agriculture with over 900,000 cattle and calf operations across our nation.” Cattle makes up about 18 percent of agricultural commodities.

RFD TV points out, “The United States is both the world’s largest producer and largest consumer of beef. Beef is an important source of nutrients that are vital for supporting good health, such as protein, Vitamin B12, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and selenium. And it’s not just about hamburger and steak: foods containing gelatin (including ice cream and marshmallows), chewing gum, medicines, and soaps are among the many derivative products that rely upon the beef industry.”

We love what we do, and as we fire up our grills this spring and summer, let’s pause to recognize the work all of us and our partners in the industry do to make this such a vital and important American industry. It’s National Beef Month, go out and celebrate.