The Weston A. Price Foundation

Safe and environmentally friendly beef production methods will be the topic of Joel Salatin, a third generation "clean food farmer." Salatin is one of several activists who will address the many misconceptions about red meat at Wise Traditions 2002, the third annual conference of the Weston A. Price Foundation, April 27-28.

Author of several books on his unique "salad bar" beef grazing system, Salatin will show how beef production can improve the land and bring steady income to small farmers. His system integrates poultry and egg production with cattle grazing in a way that is sustainable, environmentally friendly and produces a healthy product.

"The vegetarian movement claims that beef production is wasteful and destroys the land," says Salatin, "but we have clearly demonstrated how holistic cattle grazing methods make the best use of the land and can even bring high productivity to marginal soils."

The Salatin method moves grazing herds to new pasture daily and integrates poultry, hogs and rabbit production into the system. "A variety of species on the farm helps prevent disease," explains Salatin. "Production is increased and the consumer gets a healthier product."

While many are pessimistic about the fate of small farms in America, Salatin sees a bright future. "There are fantastic opportunities in farming today," says Salatin, "and integrated grazing methods can help small farms make good income."

Also at the conference, Mark Purdey, organic dairy farmer, researcher and folk hero from the UK, will present evidence that beef consumption does not cause mad cow disease in humans. Purdey demonstrates the link between the use of organophosphate pesticides and high levels of toxic metals with the various forms of neurological wasting disease in animals and humans and explains why the use of soymeal as a replacement for animal byproduct feed for cattle can contribute to the problem.

Mike Callicrate will discuss his unique beef processing system, developed to circumvent monopolistic control in the beef industry and provide healthier beef to consumers. The Callicrate processing system helps bring prosperity to small farm towns by returning profits to ranchers instead of multinational corporations.

The conference will also address the health benefits of beef. "With the exception of butter, no other food has been subjected to such intense demonization in recent years as red meat, particularly beef," says Dr. Tom Cowan, another of the several keynote speakers at the weekend event.

According to Dr. Cowan, beef that has been pasture-fed and properly processed is one of the cleanest and healthiest foods in the American diet, providing important vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and complete protein that humans need for proper growth, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. Dr. Cowan will focus on the role of red meat in maintaining blood sugar levels and preventing insulin resistance.

The "Practical Nutrition" focus scheduled for Sunday April 28th will be led by Mary G. Enig, PhD, author of Know Your Fats and a specialist of international renown in the field of lipid biochemistry. She will explain why vegetable oils, not saturated fats found in beef and butterfat, are the villains of the modern diet, particularly the trans fatty acids in vegetable shortenings and margarines. Enig will present research linking vegetable oil consumption with heart disease and cancer.

Julia Ross, author of the best seller, The Diet Cure, and executive director of the Recovery Systems Clinic in Mill Valley, CA, will discuss her highly successful amino acid and nutritional therapy treatment protocols for addictions, mood and eating disorders and weight loss. Krispin Sullivan, a practicing nutritionist, will present her data on the successful use of Vitamin D therapy for fatigue, infertility and weight control.

Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and author of Nourishing Traditions, challenges the current establishment low-fat advice and draws on a wealth of scientific and anthropological findings to refute the notion that Americans should cut back on animal fats and cholesterol-rich foods. She will expose processed foods and "politically correct" advice as the root cause of modern degenerative diseases during her seminar on traditional diets, presented at the conference.

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational organization dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to modern diets. During the 1930s, Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist, studied isolated population groups throughout the world. His research revealed the importance of nutrient-dense foods in human diets, particularly vitamins A and D found in animal fats.

The Foundation promotes accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, humane animal husbandry, honest and informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. The Foundation is supported by membership dues and private donations and does not receive funding from the meat and dairy industries. Over 80 local chapters have been created in the US, Canada and Australia to help members find locally grown produce and pasture-raised animal foods.

For conference details, see the Foundation’s extensive website: www.westonaprice.org for more information.