(ARA) – It’s easy to think that in the “land of plenty,” everyone has consistent access to high-quality, nourishing food. Sadly, that’s not the case. More than 50 million Americans in 2009 did not have constant access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is awareness that there’s a hunger problem in the United States. It’s hard to imagine in a country as prosperous as ours,” says Ross Fraser, spokesman for Feeding America, the largest hunger relief organization in the United States. “But our food banks are struggling in these tough economic times to provide enough high-quality, nutritious food to all the people who need help feeding their families.”

Securing high-quality protein items, like beef, for those who are food insecure is a major priority, according to Feeding America. High-quality and nutritionally efficient foods, such as beef are important to help meet nutritional needs, particularly for those individuals who are food insecure. One 3-ounce serving of lean beef is about 154 calories, yet provides 10 essential nutrients, including iron, zinc, protein and B vitamins to help maintain a healthy weight, build muscle and promote proper growth and development. With iron and zinc deficiencies being some of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide, beef is a good source of iron and an excellent source of zinc and can help fill those nutrient gaps.

“In the United States, just 2 percent of us raise the food that provides the nutrients we need here and abroad,” says Scott George, a Wyoming cattle farmer and chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils. “And our population will only continue to grow. That means farmers and ranchers like me must do all we can to provide an affordable and accessible supply of high-quality, nutritious beef.”

To start, cattlemen around the country have stepped up to the challenge to fight hunger in their communities, donating beef, other foods, money and time to local food banks. Despite busy schedules and heavy workloads, cattle farmers and ranchers are generous with their time and donations to charities. Nearly 80 percent of cattle farmers and ranchers contribute $500 or more annually to local and national charities, according to a recent survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. On average, cattlemen donate 11.5 hours a month to community organizations. In addition, raising cattle for beef represents the largest single segment of American agriculture, keeping millions of people employed at a time when the country needs it most.

Compared to 50 years ago, there are half as many farmers and ranchers today feeding a U.S. population that has more than doubled. And yet, each U.S. farmer produces enough food and fiber to feed 155 people in the United States and abroad. By continuing to innovate and advance what they do, cattle farmers and ranchers are able to provide nutritious food, protect the environment and ensure a secure domestic supply of beef now and for generations to come.

To learn more about the people who raise cattle, their commitment to growing sustainable, nutritious and wholesome food and to learn how you can help fight hunger in your backyard, visit www.ExploreBeef.org. Or check out the YouTube Channel BeefPastureToPlate to see videos – produced on behalf of the Beef Checkoff Program – that showcase the way that cattle are raised throughout the country.

Facts about farmers and fighting hunger:

* More than 50 million Americans in 2009 did not have constant access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle, meaning they were food insecure.

* There are more than 308 million people in the United States today; and the country relies on less than 2 percent of those folks to raise the food for the United States and abroad.

* Beef is environmentally and nutritionally efficient. Each pound of beef produced today uses less land, less water, and less fossil fuel energy than in the past, yet delivers more than 10 essential nutrients to the diet, including protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins.

* Iron and zinc deficiencies are some of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide and beef is a good source of iron and an excellent source of zinc.