I am firm believer in producing what the consumer wants 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 products with the 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 the producer 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 that they will be licensing the Progressive Beef Program, a cattle management and sustainability program for feedlots. These…
