New ID agency head
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has announced that Darcy Eddleston has been named the new chair. He was elected by the board of directors during the agency’s recent annual general meeting.Former chair Steve Primrose will stay on for a year as past-chair.Eddleston has served on the CCIA board for two years as director at large. He has spent six years as a delegate for Alberta Beef Producers, and has served as director of ABP for the past three years.He is a fourth generation farmer from the Paradise Valley, Alta., area.Eddleston will be joined on the executive committee by: Primrose, past-chair; Rick Wright, vice-chair; Terry Kremeniuk, finance chair; Dan Darling, director at large and Pat Burrage, director at large.New CCIA directors recently appointed to the board include: Jamie Whalen representing Atlantic Canada; Martin Rossmann for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association; Theresa Zuk representing the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association; and Glenn Olexson and Dave Kasko for the Canadian Meat Council.
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Healthy trans fat
New study results from the University of Alberta indicate that natural trans fat found in dairy and beef products may reduce inflammation, a key risk factor for heart disease.In a three week animal model trial, researchers reduced inflammation from elevated to normal levels by feeding dietary vaccenic acid (VA), a type of natural trans fat found in dairy and beef products. “The reduction in inflammation was substantial and clearly the result of feeding the dietary VA,” Dr. Catherine Field, a lead member of the research team in the university’s Alberta Institute for Human Nutrition, which conducted the study, said in a news release.”The findings are quite significant because inflammation is now recognized as an independent risk factor for heart disease. Our results indicate that natural trans fat in beef and milk can reduce this risk.”Human clinical trials are needed to confirm the human health implications of dietary VA, cautions Field. However, the growing base of science in the area of natural trans fat indicates it should not be considered harmful. In fact, natural trans fat shows significant health potential.More information is available at www.clanetwork.com.
