Beef provides essential nutrients that support a heart-healthy lifestyle including protein, zinc, iron and vitamin B.  However, beef costs continue to increase making traditional muscle cuts cost prohibitive for regular consumption for many families.  

As a result, the Simpson County Extension Agent for Agriculture and the Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences collaborated with the Simpson County Cattlemen's Association and Western Kentucky University Meats Professor, Dr. Hunter Galloway, to provide programming to address these needs.  Based on desired objectives, Simpson County Beef Processing Demonstration was developed.  This program provided a live beef processing demonstration in the culinary classroom at the Franklin-Simpson High School.  Participants learned how to purchase large wholesale beef cuts and process them at home in order to save money.  Many of these cuts were cooked and available for sampling  The Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences also did a live cooking demonstration featuring various preparation methods for flank steak and provided samples for participants.

Written evaluations were used, and results indicate that due to this program participants are now have the knowledge to do the following:

• 97% - more appropriately select beef at the grocery store
• 69% -  correctly store and preserve beef cuts
• 90% - better understand recommended cooking for various cuts of beef
• 93% - how to maximize my food dollar when purchasing beef

100% of participants that completed the evaluation indicated that they would recommend this training to other.