From the Department of Dairy and Animal Science
This regular column from Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Ani
mal Science features the research findings, student opportunities, and
reports on other Important topics generated in the Department. The back
issues of the column are archived on Lancaster Farming’s Internet
www.lancasterfarming.com home page. Look for them.
Dr. John Comerford
Associate Professor
Dairy and Animal
Scienc
If an American consumer is
considering buying a new car and
he or she is considering Ford,
Chevrolet, or Mercedes, most
consumers would perceive there is
V
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one that is different among the
three.
What makes it different? In
this case there is a perception
there is a difference in quality and
workmanship, esteem of owner
ship, and(or) length of service.
Most consumers would also rec
ognize those qualities come at a
higher price.
A former colleague once told
me that i people do not eat beef
because they think it is cheaper or
nutritionally better for them - they
eat beef because they like ltd For
that reason, some consumers
would fit beef with the Mercedes
when it is compared to other pro
tein foods. However, the expecta
tion of a higher quality eating ex
perience with beef has diminished
for many consumers.
One reason for the lowered ex
pectation for beef is that the eat
ing patterns of consumers have
changed. A large percentage of all
meals are eaten outside the home.
Twenty-five percent of all break
fasts are eaten in the car. Nearly
half of all consumers do not know
what they will prepare for an eve
ning meal one hour before the
meal.
How does the preparation of a
chuck roast fit the needs of these
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What's in it for you? Consistent
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Beef Marketing Alliances
consumeis' 7 Obviously, it does
nit Because the poultry industry
has the led the way in the devel
opment ot foods that meet the
needs of these consumers, poultry
consumption has increased dra
matically.
Another reason is consistency
of quality of beef. One boneless
chicken breast will look and taste
pretty much the same as any other
chicken breast. Unfortunately, the
variation in the taste, tenderness,
and eating quality of beef products
presents a major challenge. Un
like an integrated production, nu
trition, and genetic system like
the poultry industry, the beef
business has traditionally been a
segmented system across many
environments and types of man
agement.
The development of beef pro
duction alliances has sought to ad
dress these issues. There are now
at least 30 of these organizations
currently in place in addition to
dozens less structured and organ
ized programs They represent
from hundreds ol producers and
tens ot thousands of cattle to one
or two seedstock herds and a few
commeicial producers
Production alliances are found
around the world Several exist m
the United Kingdom, and they
were founded for the purpose of al
leviating consumer fears about
BSE Most of the larger alliances
are seeking to breed, feed, market,
and handle beef with consistent
methods. Standards are set for
sires that are used m cow herds
based on Expected Progeny Differ
ences (predicted genetic values) for
traits that are deemed most appro
priate for the alliance.
For example, this may include
using only bulls that are expected
to produce calves with higher
than-average marbling in the
meat, or use bulls that originate
from the same seedstock herd to
reduce variability. Calves are of
ten pooled across many herds in
these alliances and fed in the same
feedlot using similar rations and
management until slaughter.
Post-slaughter standards for
handling the product may then be
set for procedures such as aging or
electrostimulation of the carcass -
both of which have been proven
to increase tenderness. Finally, the
product may then be marketed un
der a label unique to the alliance
to develop consumer recognition
and acceptance
Other alliances, and those cur
rently having the greatest success,
may be breed-specific Several
cattle breeds are involved in set
ting standards for carcass quality
and grade and authentication of the
breed of the animal The Certified
Angus Beef program is one such
alliance, and has enjoyed the
greatest success m developing
consumer awareness and loyalty to
their product. Other alliances exist
for the production of inaturali
beef, high-lean beef, or beef pro
duced in a particular state or re
gion.
Certified Angus Beef and other
types of beef produced in a na
tional alliance are available in
most parts of Pennsylvania.
There is currently a model for a
Pennsylvania-specific beef produc
tion alliance being tested. Spon
sored by the Pennsylvania Farm
ers Union, the iCertified Keystone
Beefi program is being tested in
three restaurants m western Penn
sylvania.
In addition to specific, consis
tent standards of pioduction being
employed in the production of this
beef, this group is marketing the
concept of ilocallyt produced beef
The restaurant clients are being
encouraged to associate the good
eating experience of iKeystone
Beefi with the fact that it was
raised by their neighbor.
What impact has alliances
made on the beef industry? It is
probably too early to tell. There
are, and will continue to be,
bumps and detours on the learning
curve for the beef industry. How
ever, it is, and will remain, essen
tial that the beef industry be dedi
cated to consumer needs and de-
sires.
This implies not only flexibil
ity of products that are available,
but a higher level of consistency
of production and product quality.
Production alliances should be
able to meet those needs, and pro
vide consumers with a great eating
experience, every time.