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The National Beef
Quality Audit |
Industry
successes and challenges revealed in recent audit findings.
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Every five years, the National Beef Quality Audit is conducted to
assess how the industry is doing in delivering quality beef to
consumers. The most recent audit was conducted between July 2005 and
June 2006.
The survey includes interviews with beef and beef product export
decision-makers, and with purveyors, restaurants, foodservice operators
and supermarket officials. Specific quality data was also collected at
16 U.S. packing plants – gathering information for live cattle,
carcasses/offal items on the harvest floor, and carcasses after chilling
and after ribbing at the 12th/13th rib interface.
Initial results from the 2005 audit, which is funded in part by
checkoff investments in the Beef Quality Assurance Program, show that
U.S. producers are making some quality improvements – but still have
some challenges to address.
1.) What has the industry improved upon?
The top three quality successes since the 2000 audit were: 1)
improved microbiological safety; 2) improved cattle genetics and beef of
higher quality; and 3) fewer injection-site lesions.
2.) What is still viewed as trouble spots for the beef industry?
“Lack of uniformity/consistency in quality” was ranked by end-users
as the No. 1 defect in the U.S. beef industry. That lack was further
defined by four factors: (presence) of marbling; tenderness;
palatability; and inconsistency among and within quality grades.
Other defects identified included cuts being too large for
foodservice/restaurant trade; excess fat; abscesses/lesions in cuts,
trimmings and variety meats; blood splashed muscle; pathogens and food
safety; dark cutting muscle/lack of uniformity in size/shape/weight;
blood clots in cuts and trimmings; bruises; and lack of traceability to
meet export requirements.
3.)What other concerns were identified?
In response to the question “What one quality attribute could U.S.
cattlemen change to make it easier for you to export beef products?”
beef exporters cited source and age verification followed by more
marbling as their top response.
When asked to cite “the gold standard” for high-quality beef in
foreign markets, exporters ranked U.S. Prime No. 1, followed by U.S.
Choice.
But, overall the perception foreign buyers have about U.S. beef
flavor and tenderness is very favorable. Of those surveyed, 100% rated
tenderness as “very good.” Seventy percent rated the flavor of U.S. beef
as “excellent,” while 30% gave the rating of “very good.”
4.) Where will future market growth be?
Natural and international opportunities top the list of markets
with growth potential. Respondents predicted just over a 14% increase in
domestic consumer demand for “natural” beef products in the next 10
years, while international demand is expected to grow by just over 10%.
5.)What should the industry’s goals be for 2010?
Looking ahead, those involved with the 2005 audit identified four
key strategies that the industry will strive for over the next five
years. Those goals are:
• Deliver product attributes that meet consumer needs/expectations for
safety, taste, color and convenience.
• Improve cattle by implementing instrument grading; reducing numbers of
YG 4 or 5 carcasses; controlling carcass weight; increasing marbling;
decreasing variation, and maximizing profitability.
• Expand marketing opportunities (in domestic and global markets) by
developing traceability systems; verifying source and age; reducing
costs and waste in the beef value chain, and continuing new product
development.
• Strengthen connections among segments of the beef supply chain via
communication and targeted educational programs.
The
national audit was conducted by researchers and scientists from Colorado
State University (Fort Collins); Texas A&M University (College Station);
Oklahoma State University (Stillwater); and West Texas A&M University
(Canyon). Previous beef quality audits wereconducted in 1991, 1995 and
2000. |
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