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Source verification will benefit consumers
and producers.
"If a steak is sold as a 'Kentucky
Product,' it will be easy to verify that statement is true."
Lee Meyer,
UK Agricultural Economist
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By Aimee D. Heald
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 17, 2002) - Consumers are
becoming more educated about the food they eat and demanding to know where it
came from and how it was produced. This need for information is pushing source
verification forward as a key issue for consumers and the beef industry.
"Consumers have demonstrated an interest in improved food products,"
said Lee Meyer, agricultural economist for the University of Kentucky College of
Agriculture. "Some are particularly interested in locally grown products
that are healthier and more tender."
The idea of source verification was put into motion by a 2002 Farm Bill
provision called Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). Initially the labeling
program will be voluntary, but will become mandatory in 2004. Under this
legislation, meat products sold in grocery stores must be labeled as a product
of the U.S. or other country of origin, which requires some source verification.
Meyer said source verification works by using identification methods and
databases to maintain the identity of the owners of cattle and beef through each
stage of production.
"In this way, consumers can be assured the beef was produced and processed
according to label standards," he said. "If a steak is sold as a
'Kentucky Product,' it will be easy to verify that statement is true."
There is still some discussion and debate on the best way to conduct source
verification since the programs are still in beginning stages. The UK College of
Agriculture is working with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the
Kentucky Cattleman's Association to help the program find a consistent set of
operating procedures. Most of this work is done through the Five State Beef
Initiative.
Farmers participating in the initiative tag their cattle with an electronic ID
tag.
"We can then trace cattle through the feeding and processing stages,"
Meyer said. "Farmers get information they can use to produce better beef
and the consumer gets the source verification they desire."
Meyer said the best thing about the initiative is that it is farmer driven,
which allows the program to satisfy customers without it being overly burdensome
on individual farmers.
To date about 7,000 cattle from more than 200 producers have been tagged as a
part of this cost share program. The producers are leading the way in new
technology.
Another benefit of source verification is the way occasional problems like e.
coli are handled. When the problem arises, there usually is a product recall.
Source verification provides a way to trace the problem back to its root and
withdraw a potentially contaminated product and to protect conscientious
producers.
"The bottom line is that putting effective source verification programs in
place will protect and expand demand for beef products by providing customer
assurance," Meyer said.
Writer: Aimee D. Heald 859-257-4736, ext. 267
Source: Lee Meyer 859-257-7272,
ext. 228
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