I think the bottom line to this thread is that we, cattlemen, don't need to be fighting among ourselves...we need to be fighting to put a better image out to the public of our product, BEEF. Beef has been wrongfully maligned from many direction...truth is, beef is the most health beneficial food for the consumer. That is the message we need to be presenting.
Whether WE agree or disagree with the issues we have discussed here is irrelevant...what matters is what the consumer believes. They don't care about OUR "sound science" because it has been proven time and again that science, on both sides, can be bought. If we don't do it/use it, we can't be blamed for it. There has to be changes in the system to address consumer concerns...E.coli recalls must stop! The customers we pick up because of making changes that address their concerns will far out weigh those we lose because of price...after all, pork and poultry are already priced cheaper than beef.