 |
STUDENTS PROMOTE PROTEIN; TELL CAMPUS PEERS
‘THE WEST WASN’T WON ON SALAD’
Penn State students organize third annual “Meat-In Day” at University Park campus
(State College, Penn.) – With jerky and cheese sticks in hand and a giant burger costume by their side, Penn State Block & Bridle, Dairy Science, Poultry Science and EARTH House members educated their peers about the benefits of meat, dairy, and eggs in a balanced diet on March 18 at Penn State’s University Park campus. Agriculture students joined forces to share their message two days before “Meatout Day,” an annual event that encourages people to “kick the meat habit for at least one day.”
This year, the newly formed Penn State Collegiate Cattlewomen joined the cause and organized a t-shirt sale. About 40 students proudly wore the Cattlewomen’s “Beef – The West Wasn’t Won on Salad” shirts during the event
Led by co-organizers Christiana Graver and Chris Molinaro, students spread their protein message to peers in two locations – the HUB (Hetzel Union Building) and East Halls Dining Commons, the campus’ largest dormitories, dominated by freshmen co-eds. “This was our largest Meat-In Day yet,” said Molinaro. “We were blessed with a warm spring day and enthusiastic crowds. It’s been awesome to see the event grow with the support of the agriculture community.”
In its third year, Meat-In Day is now on the opposition’s calendar. Within minutes of setting up operations at the HUB, Graver said vegetarian groups also gathered, handing out anti-meat materials just yards away from agriculture volunteers. There was no confrontation, but “it was ironic to see students holding the opposition’s materials in one hand and eating a beef jerky stick with the other hand!” Graver recalled.
Between the HUB and Dining Commons, students distributed 2,000 beef jerky pieces, 1,000 cheese sticks, 1,500 ham sticks and 1,500 Lebanon Bologna sticks with numerous educational materials, courtesy of meat and dairy commodity groups.
Graver, Molinaro and their committee extend a special thank you to the following businesses and organizations for their sponsorship of the event: PA Farm Bureau; Centre County Farm Bureau; PA Beef Council; PA Pork Council; Penn Ag Industries; Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences; Penn State Ag Student Council; Seltzer’s Lebanon Bologna and Wild Bill’s, Inc.
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
|