It’s an easy thing to say, “We produce the highest quality beef in the world.” But how do you back up that claim? What does beef quality really mean?

Creating separation

It’s natural to be proud of what we produce. When we make a living from what we place into commerce, the payoff goes beyond pride. And in a highly competitive marketplace, quality can make the difference between just getting by and running a thriving business.

And that means creating separation from the competition. We work hard at sorting out and communicating quality in the beef industry.

The industry has fought hard to get “Product of USA” labeling, providing consumers with information while implying a perception of quality. Go to a state cattlemen’s convention in Iowa, Texas or Montana and you’ll get an earful about whose beef is best.

The quality claims are far from geographical. Beyond breed distinction, product branding, local labeling paired with storytelling have become widespread in beef marketing. The list goes on: corn fed versus grass fed, organic, natural, no added hormones, antibiotic free, sustainable, free range, green, humanely produced; they all provide connotations of quality.

But these terms are subjective and arguable depending on personal opinions, feelings and sentiments.

Related:Global beef roundup: Focus on Brazil - Part 1

The eating experience

In the U.S., we have a beef grading system that provides a measure of quality — tenderness, juiciness and flavor. Quality grades are widely used as a language within the beef industry.

The grading system also helps drive consistency in beef cuts, which, if you ask any line chef, is as important as the beef itself. Taste and aroma can be a little harder to pin down. Breed, diet, age at slaughter, postmortem aging and packaging can all affect the eating experience, i.e., quality.

Enter hamburger. The grinder is the great equalizer in beef eating characteristics. Outside of fat content, blending and grinding lean beef trimmings make the end product virtually indistinguishable. And the demand for hamburger speaks for itself.

Safe and wholesome

There’s not much room for error in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s meat inspection system. It provides a firewall guarding against putting unsafe beef into commerce. Meat packers must follow a set of sanitation procedures in dressing, decontamination, trimming, chilling and packaging.

Wholesomeness as a measure of quality is slightly more nebulous; the beef industry is held to a strict set of standards for slaughtering healthy, unadulterated animals. The importance of labeling is often overlooked by beef producers, but proper documentation, identification and labeling are critical to consumer protection.

Related:Global beef roundup: Focus on Brazil, Part 2

Imports and exports

By law, all beef products imported into the U.S. come from USDA-approved packing and processing plants. Export plants must systematically show they follow equivalent animal health, safety and sanitation standards issued to U.S. plants.

Notably, other importing countries like those in the European Union, Asia, the Middle East, etc., hold exporters’ feet to the same fire as U.S. importers. USDA regularly conducts on-site audits of eligible foreign facilities to ensure their inspection systems remain equivalent to the U.S. system.

After a foreign shipment has met import requirements, the beef must be reinspected at an approved domestic inspection facility. Inspectors check import documentation to assure the shipment was properly pre-inspected and certified in the exporting country.

Analysis for product composition, microbiological contamination, residues and species is routine. Additionally, upon arrival, products are randomly sampled for drug and chemical residues.

The take-home messages

The definition of quality in our beef supply can be separated into two considerations:

With a level playing field on the definition of quality, U.S. producers can better study, evaluate and compare global beef production systems. Then we can analyze the barriers and opportunities we face in the marketplace.

Individually and collectively, we can aim our energy at making informed decisions and influence policies that protect our beef industry while ensuring all beef in the meat case is of the “highest quality.”

Editor’s note: Following this perspective, watch for a series of articles on global beef systems and how various nations are situated to compete with U.S. beef producers in the international marketplace.