One individual here had mentioned that:
> There is no significant market for CLA in the US. GRAZE covered this many
> issues ago (GRAZE is a grazing publication for US farmers). The main
> feature consumers want is products that taste good. CLA can't be
> explained
> in a 30 second sound bite).
You would need to build awareness of a new product along with its benefits.
It may take a number of years, providing that CLA proves to be efficacious
in humans as we think it will. Then it will become a positive attribute of
the products that contain CLA and some consumers will want this product in
their diet.
It would be no different than the increased knowledge we have of Omega 3
fats and the additional knowledge that ALA (Alpha Lenolenic Acid), while
having some importance, can not easily be used by most people to provide the
two EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids), namely DHA and EPA. These two nutrients
are very hard to get in most of our diets. They are primarily in certain
fatty fish, salmon being one of the best. So fish of this type are popular
not only for the taste but also the superior nutrition. Otherwise, to avoid
most mercury contamination, the only alternative is to consume fish oil
supplements. And are they ever LARGE!
As a side note, it is interesting that vegans barely receive any DHA and EPA
in their diet, not to mention B12, and this may be one of the reasons for
the higher overall death rate in vegans. Not to mention the high death rate
from heart disease in some areas of the world, e.g., India.
Unfortunately, Omega 3 fats in meats are of nearly insignificant value in
human health due to the miniscule amounts. But CLA may be one of the
nutrients that can help meat and certainly dairy products. Maybe starting as
a niche market and growing into a larger market.
If only the NOP certified rules required dairy herds to have maximum
grazing, even we would buy so called organic butter even though it is double
the cost of our locally produced butter. As of this week some prices seem to
be going up in the dairy case. The Westby Cooperative Creamery retail at a
large supermarket was $2.59/lb., LOL was $3.39, and Organic Valley was the
usual $4.99.
My understanding that the people who are buying high CLA butter, and there
are some who seek it out, are mostly buying butter imported from Ireland.
Sincerely,
Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Pastured Beef and Farm Produce
Viroqua, WI
www.mistyridgefarm.com
