The Importance of Age Verification
Welcome to Open Range, I’m Susan Allen. Stay tuned because after the break I’ll check in with our field reporter, Greg Martin for the AgriBeef Minute.
I’m Greg Martin with the Open Range AgriBeef Minute.
Age verification…no, not checking your ID when ordering a drink but a way for cattle producers to ensure export marketability for their cows according to AgriBeef’s Jennifer Erickson.
ERICKSON: When you want to export product to Japan they have export requirements which require cattle to be age verified, 20 months or younger. It’s a USDA approved program of getting ranchers approved so that their cattle are eligible for export.
The age restriction reflects a lower risk of BSE. Erickson says it is easy to enroll in the program.
ERICKSON: They need to do three things. Document the birth date of the first calf born. They need to uniquely identify their calves for each calving season and then maintain the birth records for 3 years. All of these requirements need to be approved before the cattle leave the ranch.
Is there a benefit to participating in the age verification program?
ERICKSON: The Japanese demand provides us with a larger market to which we can sell beef products so we’re able to buy more cattle. Having your calves age verified certainly makes them more marketable
I’m Greg Martin and that’s today’s AgriBeef Minute.
Thanks Greg. Don’t forget Greg will be back each Wednesday with the AgriBeef Minute. AgriBeef, Maximizing the Power of Partnership. I’m Susan Allen.
