I’ve got to admit that I am prejudiced. My family raised me with a strong bias towards steak, grilled medium rare, as the top meat choice. From my upbringing, I have come to appreciate and expect steak as a consistent quality product. My partiality stays due my history of a flavorful product and quality beef production.
Area cattlemen have the unique opportunity to participate in a seminar that will enhance beef quality, maintain consumer confidence and strengthen their bottom line thru a training known as Beef Quality Assurance.
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a program to ensure that beef and dairy cattle are maintained in a manner which will result in a safe and wholesome beef product for the consumer. Specifically, BQA is designed to enhance carcass quality by preventing residues, contamination and carcass defects. The BQA Certification Program is based on recommended national guidelines and scientific research. This will enable beef producers to enhance their product and maximize marketability.
In Texas the sponsors include the Texas Beef Council, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Boehringer Ingelheim, and the Beef Checkoff Fund.
Concern over food wholesomeness and safety is an important consumer issue. The recent failings of Chipotle underscored the fact that just a slick marketing plan is not enough. It is of utmost importance that the public knows beef is a safe product.
Fundamentally, BQA is a good business practice that can identify potential problem areas thus avoiding product defects. All sectors of the beef industry – seedstock, cow-calf and dairy producers, stocker operators, backgrounders and cattle feeders – must take responsibility for the production of a safe food product through proper animal care, handling, and management practices.
The level of consumer confidence in beef significantly affects their eating habits and impacts the future of our industry. Consumer confidence is essential if we are to “steak” our claim in the meat case.
Beyond safety, the economic importance of BQA can be seen when analyzing the top eight quality challenges within the beef industry. These quality challenges include injection site blemishes, rib brands, excessive external fat, excessive seam fat, dark cutters, inconsistent size of meat cuts, and non-uniform cattle.
All meat industries face similar concerns. By following BQA guidelines and management practice, local beef producers can increase the value of their product in the eyes of consumers, while enhancing their stewardship of natural and financial resources.
The training will be held at the Angelina County Extension Office this Thursday, June 23 starting at 5:00 pm. It is only open to cattle producers. Those attending will receive a complimentary beef supper. There is no cost to attend but the you must RSVP to 1-800-242-7820.
