1. S ELLING BY THE PIECE ?—N EED THAT LABEL ! Christy L. Bratcher, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Meat Science Auburn University, Dept. of Animal Sciences T HE ABC’ S OF R AISING B EEF FOR THE F REEZER N OVEMBER 16, 2010

2. WHAT MUST BE INSPECTED Any number of animals slaughtered for sale. N O E XCEPTIONS !! Any Product that contains >3% Meat e.g. Cheese PizzaPepperoni Pizza Cooked Cabbage Greens w/ Bacon

3. LEVELS OF REGULATION Federal Inspection  Legal to ship across state lines.  Highest level of oversight. State Inspection  Legal to ship within state lines. Custom Exempt  Animals processes for the owner for consumption by immediate family. Retail Exempt  Overseen by the health department

4. REGULATORY PLAYERS R E G U L A T I O N S United States Department of Agriculture  Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (AGI) Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH)

5. MORE SPECIFICALLY… FSIS – The USDA Inspector or the State Inspector FDA – Waste handling, antibiotic residues EPA – Waste handling OSHA – Workplace conditions ADPH/AGI – Retail certification

6. WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO To sell cuts in retail setting:  Must be from USDA or state processor  Must have permit from ADPH  Some counties may have other specific rules To sell sides or quarters:  May be custom or USDA or state processor Considerations if using a custom processor  You are no longer the owner at time of slaughter  It is illegal to sell cuts from custom processors

7. MEAT LABELS ON RETAIL PRODUCTS Labels must feature:  Safe handling instructions  USDA or state establishment number  Address  Product name  Ingredients (if more than 1)  Nutrition panel(except single ingredient raw products  Net wt.

8. LABEL APPROVAL 9 CRF 317.4(c) and 381.132(c) require all labeling to be submitted for sketch approval EXCEPT labeling that is generically approved: - required for all non-standardized meat and poultry products - any meat and poultry bearing special claims Use FSIS Form 7234-1 -http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSISForms/7234-1.pdf Shows all label features can be printer proof or hand drawn

9. GENERIC APPROVAL Prior approval of labeling or modification by FSIS without submitting a sketch approval All mandatory labeling features are in conformance with FSIS regs (9 CFR 317.5(a)(1) and 381.133(a)(1)). Outlined in 9 CFR 317.5 and 381.133 paragraphs (b)(1) through (b) (8) single ingredient with no special claims consumer test or not intended for sale meat inspection legends standard of identity outlined in labeling guidelines

10. SPECIAL CLAIMS – WHAT’S LEGAL Certified Organic – provided the farm and the butcher are certified and beef production follows organic protocols Naturally Raised – no growth promoters or antibiotics administered, not fed animal byproducts No Antibiotics – never ever No Hormones – never ever administered

11. SPECIAL CLAIMS – WHAT’S LEGAL Grass-fed – only grass and foraged fed, ever, continuous access to pasture in season Corn-fed - grain fed at some point Natural - meat that has been “minimally” processed, no synthetic ingredients  Different than “naturally raised”

12. FALSE CLAIM #1: “HORMONE-FREE” Simply, this is impossible Beef from cattle administered estrogen- based implants differs minimally from non-implanted beef for estrogen content

13. OTHER QUESTIONABLE CLAIMS “Guaranteed Safe” -Really? -How did the end use handle product? “Humanely Raised” -Perhaps, but this is your opinion -Different if you have a “certifying” party

14. FOOD SAFETY REALITIES Overarching goal is food safety, from farm to fork  Fork to farm? Present situation: Beef safety monitoring  Start – antemortem inspection  End – grocery check-out

15. FURTHER INFORMATION USDA/FSIS Guide to Federal Food Labeling http://www.fsis.usda.gov/pdf/labeling_requirements_guide.pdf Alabama Department of Public Health http://www.adph.org/ Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries http://www.agi.alabama.gov/ USDA/FSIS Labeling Policies http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/labeling_policies/index.asp National Organic Program http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=ORGANIC_CERTIFICATI O&navtype=RT&parentnav=AGRICULTURE