SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. — Governors of three states donned coats, hair nets and goggles to tour a main production plant for lean, finely textured beef.
Three governors and two lieutenant governors spent about a half-hour touring Beef Products Inc.’s plant to show their support for the company and the thousands of jobs it creates in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.
“It’s beef, but it’s leaner beef, which is better for you,” Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said after watching a presentation of how the textured-beef product is made and taking a walking tour of the plant.
Beef Products, the main producer of the cheap lean beef made from fatty bits of meat left over from other cuts, has drawn extra scrutiny because of concerns about the ammonium hydroxide used to slightly change the acidity of the beef and kill bacteria.
Front Section, Pages 5 on 03/30/2012