7 February 2024

2 minute read

By: Allan Bentley

North America

I asked Jim Long, and he consented, if I could write a commentary besides my normally scheduled one. I had a lot of responses from my last comments. All the comments I received were positive about my criticism of the Pork Industry leaders. However, I was told by most that I should have given ideas on how to improve demand and profitability to all segments of the Pork Industry. Why complain if I can't offer solutions. I hope I can remedy that with this commentary.

"To create economic prosperity for hog producers, rural communities, to bolster new markets, create jobs, and keep pork production viable for the next generation. To increase competition in agriculture markets, create a fairer playing field for small to mid-size producers and provide more options to market their product. Let's look at beef. On average beef carcasses that grade USDA Prime are valued at hundreds of dollars more than ungraded carcasses (which all pork is today). Consumers as well as buyers and sellers of beef rely on USDA quality grades including Prime, Choice, and Select as a clear standardized way to indicate quality. Everyone in the beef supply chain from cattle producers to consumers benefit from the greater efficiency permitted by the application of official US grade Standards."

So, my question to the Pork Board and NPPC, NO, my challenge to both bureaucracies is this: Everything above is all proven by the cattle industry and with the price of beef, no one can argue that the beef industry grading system is wrong. Then why can't we have the same grading that the beef industry enjoys and the profitability that goes with it?

As to not to be accused of plagiarism like the Harvard Professor and why I put that second paragraph in parenthesis. A lot of those comments came directly from the article attached. I could never have written it better. I encourage everyone to read this article and contact the Pork Board. I have heard there are models that show Pork consumption down 20% by 2035. Let's fix that right now by increasing Pork consumption by 20% in 10 years. Start a grading system right now, announce it at WPX 2024. Admitting we will lose 20% of demand in 10 years is not only a complete failure, it is and should be unacceptable by everyone in the Pork Industry. As always if someone disagrees with me my phone number is attached (#: 402-360-3174).

USDA launches Remote Grading Pilot for Beef