Nalivka – Creating Another Audit Or Telling Your Story?

The vast majority of consumers want a consistent and high quality beef product. How will we tell beef's story?
The vast majority of consumers want a consistent and high quality beef product. How will we tell beef's story?
(Wyatt Bechtel)

The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of Drovers or Farm Journal. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.

I am firm believer in producing what consumers want to buy – producing for the market.   Over the past several years, the protocols associated with these consumer “wants” have increased and we see more packages of beef with claims associated with various branded programs, i.e. source verified, natural, organic, humanely handled, no antibiotics, or breed specific.  I am sure there are more.  For producers these programs have been financially rewarding, but they also require audits, some rigorous such as the GAP (Global Animal Partnership) and some not so rigorous.   

One more program hit the industry headlines this week when Tyson Foods announced they will license the Progressive Beef Program, a cattle management and sustainability program for feedlots.  These programs all require audits and the Progressive Beef Program is no different.  It has both an internal audit as well as a USDA approved third-party audit.  As indicated in their announcement, this decision was associated with consumers increasingly wanting to know “where their food comes from.”  Haven’t we been doing this for the last 15 years when source verification became a requirement for export? 

So what is the task at hand?  I submit that the vast majority of consumers want a consistent, quality product that represents value at their dinner table or in a restaurant.  Does that require audit upon audit upon audit to achieve?  For some consumers, I am sure it does, but I don’t think these folks are even close to representing the majority. They likely buy from a reputable, branded beef program and they ask questions. 

The industry challenge is not to create one more program with one more USDA audit as we have done for the last 15 years, but rather to unrelentingly tell the story of how everyone up and down the supply chain from the cow-calf producer to the packer produces quality beef that is affordable, nutritious, and presents value. 

One more thought - for ranchers in the Western U.S., you already produce “branded” beef.  Think about that when you brand your calves in the spring.  Market your success and sustainable business by telling your story rather than paying an auditor to visit the ranch for a couple of hours every year.

 

Latest News

Biden Administration Restores Wildlife Protections
Biden Administration Restores Wildlife Protections

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to reinstate rules protecting endangered plants and animals, action that would reverse changes made during the Trump Administration that weakened the Endangered Species Act.

Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors
Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors

EPDs from multiple breeds can be compared by adding/subtracting the appropriate adjustment factors to the EPDs resulting from the most recent genetic evaluations for each of 18 breeds.

APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies
APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies

The livestock industry continues to grapple with the first confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle, while federal and state agencies continue to assure consumers there's no concern about the safety of the U.S. milk supply.

Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps
Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

USDA Authorizes CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire Victims
USDA Authorizes CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire Victims

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants can donate emergency grazing authority to ranchers in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas impacted by recent wildfires.

New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows
New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows

A new resource developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and CattleFax helps cattle producers maximize profitability from their culling decisions.