Beef Products Inc., BPI Technology Inc. and Freezing Machines Inc. will hold a press conference today to announce a major lawsuit regarding defamation of its beef product, lean finely textured beef.

In recent months, the beef industry in general, and BPI in particular, have fallen victim to a cultural and media firestorm that continues to do damage to the food industry.

The job cuts are directly attributable to the backlash the company has received as a result of food activists protesting its lean finely textured beef, which they characterized as “pink slime.”

The company had suspended operations at those plants in the wake of the “pink slime” controversy that targeted its lean finely textured beef product.

Beef Products Inc said it agrees with a Department of Agriculture ruling that packing companies can label the product as such on labels for ground beef that contains it.

Five governors and lieutenant governors visited Beef Products Inc. Thursday to tour its facility and see how lean finely textured beef is made.

"We believe it's extremely unfortunate BPI has been forced to reduce operations, given its long history for producing safe, nutritious lean beef."

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the unthinkable has happened — or maybe not so unthinkable, if you’re a particularly cynical person. Activists and the misguided, misinformed public have won a battle that they had no business winning.

The facilities in Amarillo, Texas; Garden City, Kan.; and Waterloo, Iowa had been manufacturing lean finely textured beef, which has come under fire as “pink slime” from consumer news media and anti-meat industry activists.