Elected officials in Iowa, including Governor Branstad and Congressman Steve King, continue to defend lean, finely textured beef which has become known as "pink slime." They were among the attendees at a "Beef is Beef" rally at Iowa State University yesterday afternoon, which drew 450 supporters of the product and some protesters as well. The beef trimmings are treated with ammonia to kill E-coli and other bacteria but the product has come under fire recently as some activists blasted it as byproducts mixed in with ground beef. Beef Products Incorporated has been forced to close an Iowa facility and other plants in Kansas and Texas over the backlash.
