Eric Iversen, livestock development and marketing specialist for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, says the South Dakota Certified Enrolled Cattle program allows producers the opportunity to put their cattle into different kinds of programs currently available in the cattle market.

The program is basically the first phase of the South Dakota Certified Beef program, which was initiated by the governor’s office.

Currently the enrolled cattle program has 115 licensed producers and about 15,800 head of cattle. Twelve processors and three marketers are licensed in the South Dakota Certified Beef program.

With a limited number of processors in the state, all of the enrolled cattle are not able to be processed in state yet.

“But until we have that infrastructure in place, we have that marketing arm in place to take beef to the marketplace, there’s still a fit in the enrolled cattle side,” Iversen said. “(It’s a way) for other companies to use that as a procurement tool to fit their claim-specific (programs).”

He also says natural markets may eventually be a good fit for South Dakota Certified Enrolled Cattle. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture is currently working on rules for a natural beef program. They hope to have those rules in place by summer.

Source: Tri State Neighbour