Traveler said:
mrj said:
Again, there are at least dozens of PRIVATE ENTERPRISE labeled beef brands. Apparently, some producers want government to do it for them. Hasn't it been pretty well learned that anything government does for us costs more and creates problems? Check out the government rules for labeling beef! More government regulation costs more money. Add that to already high beef costs to consumers and we may have found a real, rather than a perceived barrier to more sales of beef.
A little addressed consideration: some, even on this site, like to bash Canadian beef producers, but should take a good look in their own country. Sadly, not all USA produced beef is of top quality. What happens when our consumers get a package of that proudly labeled beef that is tough, or worse, just not great quality ???? Not likely to be a satisfied consumer, especially given the high cost to quality ratio, is it?
For those who base their thoughts on the beef business (and, YES, even a producer of the smallest 'herd' of cattle IS a part of the 'beef business' in the USA!) on hatred of NCBA, the major goal of our members is for each of us to improve OUR segment of that US beef business BY improving consumer satisfaction. We understand that to achieve that goal, we must constantly improve our own 'act' and make sure our own cattle are the best they can be, then lean on the other segments to have the same goals. Keeping the market place the place to set the bar, rather than a "made in the USA" label which has absolutely NOTHING to do with quality! We obviously need many types of beef to please the wide array of consumer choices, and the Beef Check Off is doing some great work in showing consumers how to choose the best cuts and quality of beef for their specific need, which is helping make more satisfied beef consumers.
Apparently those who tout the labels on apples as some sort of 'holy grail' of quality have not eaten some carrying those labels lately! It takes quite a few disappointments to find one which actually tastes worthy of a label, imo.
mrj
Not trying to be contentious, but apparently checkoff dollars are promoting US beef in the UAE, and some other countries, promoting a quality product. A bit of a head scratcher.
http://www.usmef.org/news-statistics/member-news-archive/u-s-beefs-quality-promoted-to-consumers-in-uae-kuwait-and-oman/
Traveler, I don't see your question as contentious, but am not quite sure why you are bothered by that fact. USMEF has always worked to get our products into foreign countries. Beef Check Off money is used in part to generate more sales of our beef, no matter where. We have little trouble selling some of the beef carcass parts not often chosen by our US consumers in foreign countries, but they also have some consumers who are developing a taste for our top dollar parts of the beef carcass, too. I believe it helps our producers' bottom line to serve those customers, too. One of the goals of the Check Off, and I believe of the best of the packing industry, too, is to focus on the top end of the US beef as the best of the best.
Some of the imported beef has been for the purpose of adding more lean to the excessively fat carcasses we produce. Until we perfect our production to be able to use all we produce as it is, it seems to me we can benefit from importing some beef. Trade does go both ways, and if both parties don't like the deal, it won't work, will it? And, it will be a very rare day when everyone is satisfied with the 'deal' they get and doesn't think 'the other guy' is getting a better deal.
Personally, I believe we need to do more promotion of even the bottom of the quality scale, which STILL must be wholesome and safe, because it all has its place. Modern consumers need to be taught which beef cut is best for the way they want to cook it. Fortunately, Beef Check Off is funding some of that training.I cooked up and put into freezer packages some very tasty, convenient stew beef this week. It was from an old Longhorn Steer, and would have been very tough, had I not cooked it properly, and chances are consumers are pretty disappointed when they get something like that and don't know how it should be cooked. Oddly enough, that steer had some very good sirloin steaks which cooked up nice and tender at medium rare. Our twenty something grand daughters will be thrilled to get some of that cooked stew beef for Christmas, tho they would like it even better if it were canned, that being an almost instant meal base.
I do believe if we spent more of our energy and time to push for higher standards for beef quality, both for imported, and beef we produce here at home, we would be more successful than the belly-aching and criticizing of packers we seem to prefer has been. We surely all have seen some awfully sorry looking cattle along the hiway, going through a sale barn, etc., and consumers can see that stuff, too. Then when they get stuck with a poor quality piece of beef, it makes a pretty poor beef experience for them. No matter that it may be 'safe' to eat, if it isn't right for their cooking method, or up to their expectation, we all suffer when we lose beef eaters to other proteins.
mrj
