Agriculture

America’s Big Beef: An Industry In Transition

From small ranchers to large packers to U.S. dinner tables, the beef industry is a gigantic multi-billion dollar business. Whether you eat it or you don’t, beef is what’s for dinner, what’s for lunch and what’s for breakfast on thousands of Americans’ plates daily.Harvest Public Media takes a look at America’s beef industry, examining what goes in to our meat. We’re looking at the safety of the meat in our grocery stores and who funds the scientific research on the industry. We’re diving into what goes in to breeding the highest-quality beef, the potential environmental impact of the way conventional cattle are raised, and what might happen if the beef industry continues to consolidate.You can view and hear more on Big Beef on Harvest Public Media's website.

New Reporting Series Covers 'America's Big Beef'

KCUR

Published December 7, 2012 at 2:35 PM CST

On Monday, Harvest Public Media launches a five-part series called "America’s Big Beef: An Industry in Transition." It's a deep dive into the big business of cattle. This series marks a collaboration between Harvest Public Media and The Kansas City Star.

The Star begins a three-day special report on Sunday called "Beef's Raw Edges," a yearlong investigation that, according to the paper, uncovered the following:

"The beef industry is increasingly relying on a mechanical process to tenderize meat, exposing Americans to higher risk of E. coli poisoning. The industry then resists labeling such products, leaving consumers in the dark. The result: Beef in America is plentiful and affordable, spun out in enormous quantities at high speeds, but it’s a bonanza with hidden dangers."

Listen for Harvest Public Media's stories Monday, December 10 - Friday, December 14, during NPR's Morning Edition - and also online starting Sunday, December 9 at Harvest Public Media.

Monday: In our report during Morning Edition, Kansas City Star's Mike McGraw talks with Harvest Public Media's Donna Vestel about the series and its findings. At 11 am, Up to Date examines some of the issues.

Harvest Public Media, based at KCUR, is a collaborative public media project that reports on important agriculture issues in the Midwest. Funded by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Harvest Public Media encompasses six NPR member stations in the region. To learn more, visit www.harvestpublicmedia.org, like Harvest Public Media on Facebook or follow @HarvestPM on Twitter.