By Temur Durrani, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press
Who’s got a beef with COVID-19? Turns out, most Canadians.
Even the spiralling sticker shocks of rising meat prices and trending plant-based diets during the coronavirus pandemic did not hinder people from their love of sirloin, ribeye or porterhouse steaks.
As barbecue season begins across the country, a study conducted by leading food economists at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab has found that up to 92 per cent Canadians are still beef lovers — with 65 per cent eating different cuts of the meat several times in a regular week.
But results among different provinces, genders and age groups vary; and one in four Canadians have thought about cutting beef altogether from their diets within the last 12 months.
‘What We’re Reading’ is a quick look at some of the issues and insights Alberta Beef Producers’ content creators and editors are reading to stay up-to-date, to broaden perspectives, and to explore issues relevant to the agriculture industry.