More in Beef Quality

Dec. 11, 2012

Article

UNL Study Leads To Preventing Contamination In Beef

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and 10 other institutions have begun a project to study toxic bacteria in beef using a $25-million grant from USDA....More
Dec. 2, 2012

Article

Texas Beef Checkoff Debuts Mouth-Watering Blog

The Texas beef checkoff program has expanded its online presence by recently launching a blog appropriately named "BEEF Loving Texans." The blog covers all things beef, including nutrition, recipes, cooking tips, shopping ideas and much more. Readers experience the blog through posts filled with appealing step-by- step beef imagery and videos....More
Nov. 29, 2012

Article

Why The Fuss About Food? 11

Get into a conversation about food and you’ll quickly realize that the last thing it’s about is the food itself. American society and culture have changed, and if beef is to remain a part of the diet of this changing culture, cattlemen will need to learn that talking about food has very little to do with food....More
Nov. 14, 2012

Article

Get BQA-Certified Either In Person Or Online

Individuals interested in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification now have two options to achieve their goal – in person and online. The traditional method is to attend a training meeting with a state coordinator or a designated BQA trainer....More
Oct. 26, 2012

blog

HSUS Video, 'A Pig's Tail' Targets Young Children

A new animated video from the Humane Society of the U.S. aimed at young kids builds on HSUS’s strategy of appearing to side with “family farms” and against corporate or modern agriculture. The livestock industry can’t compete with HSUS in dollars spent, number of lawyers, or a sympathetic mainstream media, but producers can utilize social media tools to reach consumers directly....More
Oct. 18, 2012

blog

The Ever-Growing Price of E. Coli 1

Prior to the beef recall in mid September by Canada’s XL Foods, the North American beef industry had been quietly celebrating one of the more successful summers relative to E. coli. The industry’s progress in ensuring a safe beef supply has been great, and the risk of contamination is falling, but the risks as a result of potential contaminations are increasing....More
Oct. 11, 2012

blog

XL Foods At Center Of Cross-Border Contamination Issue

his year had been quiet in terms of U.S. beef recalls. That changed with a Sept. 17 recall of ground beef products produced at an Edmonton, Alberta, plant operated by XL Foods, Canada’s second largest beef processor. The recall expanded 13 times over the next three weeks to include whole-muscle cuts, short ribs and other intact cuts. The recall was significant because it exposed the interdependent nature of the North American beef trade....More
Oct. 10, 2012

blog

Magazine Needs To Check Facts On BSE 7

Just as BPI’s lean finely textured beef was unfairly characterized as “pink slime” and the H1N1 flu strain was dubbed “swine flu” by the media, the beef industry has one longer-lived slur. That is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) as “mad cow disease.”...More
Sep. 21, 2012

blog

The ABC News Lawsuit Is A Long Shot 8

Very few cattlemen will disagree that the BPI lawsuit against ABC News is necessary and right. But the fact is, as Americans, we love the First Amendment. So, while ABC News isn’t Oprah, the suit still faces an uphill challenge...More
Sep. 13, 2012

blog

BPI Announces $1.2-Billion Lawsuit Of ABC 11

The legal hurdles for defamation are huge. Obviously, proving economic damage will be easy, and there certainly was a wealth of incorrect material presented by ABC regarding lean finely textured beef. But the sad fact is that when the media chooses to ignore facts and sensationalize a story, there’s little recourse for the aggrieved to take, even if a company, its employees, consumers and the public are injured in the process....More
Sep. 6, 2012

Article

Still Work To Do In Taiwan

USMEF says recent regulatory changes in Taiwan regarding the use of ractopamine in imported and domestic beef will definitely help reverse the downward trend in U.S. beef exports to Taiwan. But even with a loyal customer base and strong consumer demand for U.S. beef, restoring the market to its peak level won't be easy....More
Aug. 28, 2012

blog

Majority Of Beef’s Lost Dollars Due To Quality Grade Deficiencies

Beef packers have spent years finding ways to add value to a carcass. Given the volume of cattle they handle, an extra 1¢/lb. can add up to millions of new dollars captured. Producers have also focused on adding value to calves and fed cattle. Yet there’s still more to be captured, according to the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit....More
Aug. 22, 2012

Article

Cattle That Grow & Grade Are Money In The Bank 2

Every cow-calf producer who desires top dollar for his/her calf crop would do well to incorporate both rapid growth and high quality-grading potential into each calf crop. Rapid growth and strong marbling genetics make cattle worth more to everyone who owns them....More
Aug. 22, 2012

Article

Feedlots Believe In BQA, Study Shows

As part of its Feedlot 2011 survey, USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) looked at the adoption rates and use of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) principles. The survey shows that cattle feeders have a healthy buy-in with BQA. However, more needs to be done to bring more operations into the fold....More
Aug. 16, 2012

video

Beef Checkoff Reworks Committee Structure 2

How goes the checkoff? According to Craig Uden, a Nebraska cattle feeder and chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils, the cattlemen who oversee the beef checkoff are working to keep the program as efficient as possible. During the 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Meeting, that effort involved reorganizing the committee structure, taking it from a total of 13 standing committees to four....More
Aug. 14, 2012

Article

Mark McCully Breaks Down The 2011 Beef Quality Audit

Certified Angus Beef Assistant Vice President Mark McCully discusses the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit and its implications. This video news release is provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC and American Angus Association....More
Aug. 9, 2012

video

2011 National Beef Quality Audit Take-Home Messages

With the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) now published, what's the take-home message for cow-calf producers? Cattlemen showed they can make great strides when the industry tackles important issues, like carcass quality. But the 2011 NBQA identified food safety and flavor as among the important issues....More
Aug. 9, 2012

Article

Consistency and Food Safety Are Foodservice Issues 3

The 2011 National Beef Quality Audit identified food safety as one of the industry’s greatest challenges. It’s also one of the industry’s greatest success stories. It’s the same with product consistency. But foodservice giant Sysco says the industry must work together more closely to make even more improvement....More
Aug. 3, 2012

Article

High-Quality U.S. Beef Doing Well in Europe, But… 2

With the price of imported beef from South America into the European Union easing, the price difference between U.S. beef and that of other origins has widened considerably in recent weeks. The short-term outlook for U.S. beef remains positive, but the concern is for October 2012 and beyond, especially if the euro fails to appreciate against the U.S. dollar....More
Jul. 27, 2012

Article

Beef Quality Audit Shows Improvements, Challenges

The 2011 National Beef Quality Audit, released this week at the Cattle Industry Summer Meeting in Denver, shows cattlemen have made tremendous strides in improving the quality of the end product. But a changing consumer landscape and a changing industry mean that challenges will continue to arise in cattlemen’s efforts to keep beef at the center of the plate....More
Jul. 2, 2012

Article

Video: 2011 National Beef Quality Audit - Identifying Challenges And Opportunities

Every five years, a National Beef Quality Audit is performed, in which ranchers, feedlot operators, packers, retailers and government and allied industry are surveyed. The purpose of the checkoff-sponsored audit is to document accomplishments, future challenges and to identify areas that need improvement. The full results of the latest audit will be released on July 26 at the summer National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) meetings in Denver....More
Jun. 26, 2012

Article

Website Keeps Farmers And Ranchers Apprised Of Safety, Health Concerns

Farmers and ranchers have an online resource for safety and health-related information. The site, www.extension.org/farm_safety_and_health, is through eXtension, a national consortium of 74 land-grant universities that provides online access to research-based information and education....More
Jun. 21, 2012

Article

BQA Is Making A Difference, National Beef Head Says 1

The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has given cattlemen the framework and protocols to make significant improvement in the consumer acceptability of their product. However, according to one packer, the industry not only needs to stay vigilant on the progress it has made, but needs to look forward on how BQA can continue to help cattlemen produce a consumer-acceptable product in a changing consumer marketplace....More
Jun. 13, 2012

Article

Youth Beef Quality Assurance Training Modules Now Available Online

The BQA program teaches participants about implementing best management practices to help enhance herd profitability and improve consumer confidence in high quality beef products. With increased public attention on animal welfare, BQA enables youth and producers to demonstrate their commitment to food safety and quality....More
Jun. 8, 2012

Article

Nebraska, Iowa Officials Defend LFTB In School Lunches 1

Though most other states have rejected lean finely textured beef (LFTB), Nebraska and Iowa will continue to serve it in school lunches during the next school year because it's safe, lean and less expensive, state officials say....More