MOBeef Update

As we quickly approach Independence Day- a time when this industry enjoys the increased beef demand from all the back-yard barbecues; I have the urge to pass along a story that I heard from our good friends at the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Samuel Wilson was a real person. He was born in 1776 and like most folks in that era, was raised on a farm- tending to livestock and performing other routine chores. Sam grew to become a prosperous meat packer, and by 1812 he was involved in the effort to feed American soldiers when the British tried to make the fledgling United States colonies the crown again. Samuel Wilson’s meat-packing business was an important part of the war effort, and the barrels of beef he shipped to feed the soldiers were marked with the letters, “US” which stood for United States. The soldiers receiving the barrels of beef, however, said the “US” stood for the nickname of the benefactor who supplied the beef.

Samuel Wilson’s generosity was widely known and his many friends nicknamed him “Uncle Sam”. The soldiers knew about the generosity of Sam Wilson and they also knew the barrels of beef were from his meat-packing business, so they insisted the “US” stood for Uncle Sam… before long, a fictitious cartoon character by the same name became synonymous with the United States.

While he did not have a goatee or wear a red, white and blue stars-and-stripes tuxedo, Samuel “Uncle Sam” Wilson was very real. In 1961, Congress ensured Samuel Wilson would not be forgotten to history by printing in the Federal Register a resolution officially recognizing the patriot farmer and meatpacking merchant Samuel Wilson as the real “Uncle Sam”.

I plan on having my own tribute to the famous meat-packer this 4th of July. We’ll be grilling burgers, served with a Sesame-Soy Mayonnaise. For the recipe, visit our website at www. mobeef.org….and don’t forget to thank a soldier this Independence Day, too!