Me and Greg checking out a whole cattle that we just picked up from the processing plant. This cattle was raised by one of my best friends Greg Tonkin in Mineral Point, WI

Those of you that know me well enough know that I do not participate in the chain emails or any of the other crap that people choose to send around the internet whether true or not.

I got this email and it really struck a nerve with me, especially since some of my best friends are farmers in North and South Carolina, Wisconsin and Virginia. The problems that the American Farmers are facing is ridiculous, facing issues that are dealing with everything from the prices of corn and grains, to having difficulty in turning product around. I don't know any rich farmers, they are struggling with the economy just like the rest of us and when people are looking elsewhere especially outside of America, I kinda get pissed off.

I wish that there was a way to beat the Eat Local philosophy into some peoples heads.

Anyway, here is the letter from Dr. Forrest. Please feel free to copy and paste and send out to your friends.

Hugz,
Chef Mike



MUST Read about McDonalds


THIS IS A GOOD DECENT MAN WHO TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE THIS AND: HE SIGNED THESTATEMENT AND: INCLUDED HIS CONTACT INFO:



I'm sure those of you who aren't in the cattle
business don't understand the issues here. But to those of us
whose living depends on the cattle market,selling cattle, raising the best beef possible... This is frustrating.


This will keep us from ever stopping there (McDonalds) again, even for a drink.

The original message is from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association
American cattle producers are very passionate about this.

McDonald's claims that there is not enough beef in the USA to support their
restaurants. Well, we know that is not so. Our opinion is they are looking
to save money at our expense. The sad thing of it is that the people of the
USA are the ones who made McDonald's successful in the first place, but we
are not good enough to provide beef.

We personally are no longer eating at McDonald's, which I am sure does not
make an impact, but if we pass this around maybe there will be an impact
felt.

All Americans that sell cows at a livestock auction barn had to sign a paper
stating that we do NOT EVER feed our cows any part of another cow. South
Americans are not required to do this as of yet.

McDonald's has announced that they are going to start importing much of
their beef from South America . The problem is that South Americans aren't
under the same regulations as American beef producers, and the regulations
they have are loosely controlled.

They can spray numerous pesticides on their pastures that have been banned
here at home because of residues found in the beef. They can also use
various hormones and growth regulators that we can't. The American public
needs to be aware of this problem and that they may be putting themselves at
risk from now on by eating at good old McDonald's..

American ranchers raise the highest quality beef in the world and this is
what Americans deserve to eat. Not beef from countries where quality is
loosely controlled. Therefore, I am proposing a boycott of
McDonald's until they see the light.

I'm sorry but everything is not always about the bottom line, and when it
comes to jeopardizing my family's health, that is where I draw the line.


I am sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at
least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) and those 300 send it to at least ten more
(300 x 10 = 3,000) ... and soon, by the time the message reaches the sixth
generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers!

I'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you? Acting
together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please
pass this message on..

David W. Forrest, Ph.D ., PAS, Dipl.
ACAP Department of Animal Science
Texas A&M University
Phone (979) 845-3560
Fax (979) 862-3399
2471 TAMU College Station , TX 77843-2471