Guest Speaker – Fiona Windle – The Future of Meat.
Fiona is a registered nutritionist with close to fifteen years of experience and Head of Nutrition at Beef and Lamb NZ.Originally based in Auckland, she is now working from home in Napier, balancing work with raising 2 boys.
She put the case for the benefits of red meat within a balanced diet. Beef + Lamb New Zealand endorses the recommendations of health professionals, which include moderate consumption of red meat with plenty of vegetables within a healthy lifestyle. The information given during marketing, both in NZ and overseas is supported by sound science and is relevant for all New Zealanders.
Here in New Zealand, we are lucky to have access to nutritious, grass-fed beef and lamb raised by farmers who are recognised as world leaders in sustainable farming and animal wellbeing.
New Zealanders generally believe that nature is the best producer of food, especially in our remote, unspoiled corner of the world, where we enjoy some of nature’s best growing conditions.
Most of the global research around the nutritional, environmental, and health impacts of producing and consuming red meat has been based on grain-finished cattle. However, the meat from grass-fed animals is gaining popularity in many countries. New Zealand specialises in free-range, grass-fed farming without antibiotics and hormones aka pasture-raised meat. Not only are the farming styles different, but so too is the meat.
Large amounts of money have been put into producing and marketing non-animal “meat” products, but the future of this is in doubt, as we see with Mcdonald's in the US, which has ceased production of their plant-based patties due to negative consumer reactions. Farmers know their land, they love their animals, and they want to leave their farms in better condition for the next generation. A healthy future for our descendants requires all of us to do our bit for the health of the climate, land, and water because when nature thrives, so do our families, communities, and businesses.