Feb. 8, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:

Crystal Albers, 816-383-5100 or calbers@angus.org

HBO Highlights Temple Grandin’s Impact On Beef Production

Movie to air again next week on HBO Family.

On Saturday, Feb. 6, HBO aired Temple Grandin, a television special featuring Temple Grandin’s work in improving the care of cattle. Grandin, living with autism, revolutionized livestock handling by tapping into her ability to see the world in a different way to develop a deeper understanding of animal behavior.

“There’s not a rancher in this country that isn’t aware of her work. We have all been influenced by Temple,” says Clint Peck, Director, Beef Quality Assurance at Montana State University. “There is no question her work has helped us all understand more about our animals and how to handle them in a caring and humane manner.”

The beef checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program sets cattle handling and beef quality standards that are followed throughout the beef production process — from farm to fork—to ensure cattle are receiving proper care.

“Temple’s insight into animal behavior and low-stress handling is the foundation of the BQA assessment, which is the scoring system we use to verify cattle are handled properly. Her contributions are monumental,” said Ryan Ruppert, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Beef Quality Assurance director. Ruppert attended the Denver premiere of HBO’s Temple Grandin on Wednesday night as a guest of Grandin.

“I thought the movie did a great job capturing the challenges Temple overcame to improve livestock care in food production. What shocked me is how different the beef industry looks today than it did in the 60s and 70s as a result of her perseverance. She is a true pioneer,” said Ruppert.

Grandin’s work has touched every segment of beef production, from the farm to the feedlot and, ultimately, the processing facility.

“Temple Grandin has been a critical resource to Cargill, which has allowed us to continually improve our animal handling facilities and our animal welfare programs,” said John Keating, President, Cargill Beef. Dr. Mike Siemens, Cargill Leader Animal Welfare and Husbandry, added, “Temple’s insight and understanding of cattle behavior is truly unique. Her ability and expertise in facility design have been invaluable to the beef industry.”

Grandin’s unique understanding of animal behavior is used to teach low-stress handling techniques in feedlots, auction markets, and on farms and ranches across the country.

“Temple has been a wonderful advocate for animals and animal agriculture by improving the overall management and well-being of livestock. We take it to the next step and teach cattlemen how to effectively implement procedures to take advantage of the principles she has promoted throughout her career,” says Ron Gill, Associate Department Head for Extension, Animal Science Department, Texas AgriLife Extension. Gill travels the country training livestock handlers in BQA-approved cattle handling techniques.

“We’ve always cared for our cattle but Temple has given us more insight into their behavior. Personally, I have more confidence in how I handle animals because of her work,” says Peck.

The HBO special is scheduled to air in select areas Feb. 20, Feb. 25, Feb. 26 and throughout March. For specific show times, visit www.hbofamily.com.

— Adapted from a release provided by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.