BEDFORD, Pa. — Nearly 80 cattlemen gathered at the Bishop Connare Center in Greensburg, Pa., on April 5 for the annual Westmoreland County Cattlemen’s Banquet. The Pennsylvania Beef Council helped to facilitate a special presentation by Dave Juday, Senior Analyst for World Perspectives Inc.
Juday’s presentation titled “U.S. Beef Cattle Identification and Traceability Systems — Opportunities, Obstacles and Incentives Across the Value Chain” focused on the recent study, commissioned by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and conducted by World Perspectives Inc. regarding the feasibility for beef cattle producers to adopt an animal identification and traceability system.
Juday covered the results of the study, focusing on economic opportunity for expanded markets if a traceability system was adopted and the economic loss in cases of animal disease outbreak.
“There is a golden opportunity for proactive leadership in the industry, to add another tool to maximize the United States beef industries competitive advantage domestically and globally,” Juday said.
According to the feasibility study, animal traceability has become the norm across the globe. In the study, World Perspectives, Inc. found that foreign countries have adopted traceability and identification standards to maintain or regain market access, manage animal health issues and to invest in practices that provide some insurance in case of animal disease outbreaks.
The study cited both the opportunities and the obstacles for the cattlemen in the room. Opportunities like enhancing management efficiencies and proactive instead of reactive leadership were among the topics discussed. Some of the obstacles included compliance cost and the inherent skepticism of sharing personal farm data.
The evening ended with follow up questions and fellowship among the group.
For more information about this study, visit beefusa.org.
— Pennsylvania Beef Council