While there is a good chance that sales of finely textured beef (FTB) will pick up again in time, Cargill’s production still remains significantly below where it was before the ‘pink slime’ media frenzy erupted almost exactly a year ago today, says the firm.
Asked whether he thought production would return to pre-March 2012 levels, Cargill director of communications Michael Martin told FoodNavigator-USA: “While we believe there is a strong likelihood FTB will eventually be produced at the level it was at before March 2012, we cannot predict how long that will take.”
Given that the US beef cattle herd had “dropped to a number not seen since 1952” it was doubly frustrating that a safe, 100% beef product that could reduce waste, increase available lean beef, and keep prices down had been “vilified and demonized”, he said.
“While we understand the reason for our customers eliminating FTB from ground beef when their corporate brands were under fire... it is unfortunate that several-hundred-million-pounds of FTB, including our competitor’s similar product [Beef Products Inc’s lean finely textured beef], are now not being produced annually to feed people.”
He added: “It’s truly a shame that some media and the court of public opinion vilified and demonized beef by using a catchy moniker - ‘pink slime’ - which, as a descriptor, is completely inaccurate as FTB is not pink and not slimy.”
Pink slime attacks a contributing factor in decision to shutter plant in Plainview, Texas
It is well-known that the decision by leader food manufacturers, retailers and foodservice firms to drop FTB last spring as the 'pink slime' moniker gained momentum forced South Dakota-based Beef Products Inc (BPI) to shut down three of its plants and put more than 700 people out of work.
However, the attack on FTB was also a “contributing factor” in Cargill’s decision to shutter its beef processing plant at Plainview, Texas, on February 1, resulting in 2,000+ people losing their jobs, claimed Martin.
“The primary reason for idling the plant was drought-created cattle supply constraints throughout the region, although FTB was a valuable piece of the overall Plainview beef production. So, reduction of FTB production was an additional factor that led to the plant’s idling.”
