MCA, Schweitzer propose statewide natural beef program
US - The Montana Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) and the State of Montana has proposed a marketing program targeting the natural beef market and adding value to Montana’s feeder calves.
17 January 2007
2 minute read
The contemplated program has been envisioned with the State of Montana to create the market and resulting demand through Gov. Brian Schweitzer's economic development team. MCA is suggesting that the product line be developed around the following definitions:
- Montana Certified Natural Beef shall be a program administered through the Montana State Department of Agriculture and the Board of Livestock and will require at least one inspection at the ranch of origin of the cattle to assure compliance, including the required record keeping protocol. The state would maintain a list of certified ranches or ranchers and make that available to purchasers of the cattle or beef.
- The origin of the cattle must be Montana. The beef must be from cattle born, raised and fed in the State of Montana.
- The cattle must be raised in an environmentally prudent manner consistent with Montana's best grazing standards and raised pursuant to Beef Quality Assurance or similar guidelines.
- The cattle shall be raised with no sub-therapeutic antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or synthetic growth promotants. The cattle must be fed only natural feed that contains no drugs, no chemicals and no animal by-products or artificial additives. Ionophores such as Bovatec, Rumensin or Cattlyst are classified as an antibiotic and cannot be fed.
- The producer shall maintain records of the birth of the cattle by month and health records shall be kept for the cattle, including vaccine lot numbers, manufacturer, and dates of vaccination.
Source: The Prairie Star
