lk Ranchers Applaud Arby's For Serving Elk & Venison Sandwiches

lk Ranchers Applaud Arby's For Serving Elk & Venison Sandwiches

Russell Nemetz
Russell Nemetz
Hi everybody it's time for your Land and Livestock Report here on the Ag Information Network of the West-I'm Russell Nemetz.

The North American Elk Breeders Association (NAEBA) is announcing its support of Arby's restaurants serving elk and venison sandwiches. Last month, Arby's restaurants featured a limited offering of venison sandwiches in over 3,000 stores and offered elk sandwiches in select stores in three western states.

NAEBA, which serves as an international breed registry organization for the United States, Canada and Mexico, has seen elk ranchers and enthusiasts across the continent praise the new menu items as it allows more consumers to be exposed to alternative livestock meats.

NAEBA supports Arby's for offering these products and hopes this continues in the future. Elk meat is a healthy red meat alternative. It is high in protein and low in both fat and cholesterol. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, elk is actually healthier than grilled chicken.

Elk, like bison, is becoming a more popular alternative meat and elk ranchers in the United States cannot keep up with the demand. NAEBA believes this is a positive indicator as more restaurants continue to serve elk on their menus.

NAEBA is disappointed to see a special interest group in Montana publicly criticizing Arby's for the new product claiming elk is "wildlife". In terms of elk ownership, elk is regulated as livestock in almost every state with a farmed elk industry, as well as at the federal level by the United States Department of Agriculture. Elk is part of a $4 billion-dollar farmed elk and deer industry in the United States.

That's your Land and Livestock Report-I'm Russell Nemetz.

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