News Update

News Update
Feb. 8, 2007

Statement by Johanns Regarding New BSE Detection in Canada

“Last night, Canada announced a detection of BSE in a mature bull from Alberta, Canada,” Mike Johanns, Secretary of Agriculture, said. “I have visited with Canada’s Minister of Agriculture, Chuck Strahl, who welcomes our participation in the investigation. I am dispatching a [U.S. Department of Agriculture] USDA expert to Canada for that purpose.

“Based on what is known at this time, I would not expect this Canadian detection to impact our trade with Canada,” he continued. “Regarding the proposed minimal risk rule that specifies additional movement of cattle and beef into the United States, we remain in an open comment period until March 12, 2007. While the risk assessment for the proposed rule factors in the possibility of additional cases, the open comment period allows for consideration of additional information that might result from this investigation.”

— release provided by USDA News

Camp Cooley Ranch to Host Kick-off for The Texas Challenge

With a $250,000 pledge to the Angus Foundation, Klaus and Bonnie Birkel, owners of Camp Cooley Ranch, Franklin, Texas, have challenged Texas Angus breeders and the Texas Angus Association to raise $50,000 annually in matching funds to support Angus education, youth and research efforts through the Angus Foundation.

To launch the five-year Texas Challenge, Camp Cooley Ranch will host a kick-off celebration at the ranch on Saturday evening, April 21, featuring a Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) dinner and live entertainment. All Texas Angus breeders and supporters are invited to attend. Stay tuned for more details.

With the ultimate fundraising goal of $500,000 by 2011, The Texas Challenge allows donors the freedom to designate how their gift will be used by the Angus Foundation, with choices including educational programs, youth activities and/or bovine-related research. As a part of this new fundraising initiative, a Texas Angus Association Endowment Fund will be created to allow donors to support the next generation of Texas Angus breeders with educational scholarships awarded through the Angus Foundation.

All funds raised through The Texas Challenge will count toward achievement of the nationwide fundraising initiative Vision of Value: Campaign for Angus, which aims to raise $11 million by Dec. 31, 2011, to further support the Angus Foundation’s education, youth and research efforts. To date, more than $3.1 million has been dedicated to the campaign through cash gifts and planned giving commitments.

For more information on The Texas Challenge or to make a gift supporting it, contact Angus Foundation President Milford Jenkins at mjenkins@angusfoundation.org or (816) 383-5100.

— release provided by the Angus Foundation

Johanns Outlines FY 2008 Ag Budget

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns earlier this week released details of President Bush’s FY 2008 USDA budget. According to Johanns, the budget meets the Department’s most important priorities, while exercising fiscal discipline to meet the President’s goal to balance the budget.

Johanns said the 2008 budget reflects the President’s priorities to encourage economic growth, increase the nation’s security and achieve a balanced budget.

Beginning in 2008, the budget incorporates a $500 million increase each year in the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) estimates to accommodate the cost of new farm bill proposals to be allocated among the various titles of the bill.

Total USDA expenditures are estimated at about $89 billion in 2008, which, according to USDA, is approximately the same level as 2007. Roughly 75% of expenditures, or $67 billion in 2008, will be for mandatory programs that provide services required by law, which include many of the nutrition assistance, commodity, export promotion and conservation programs.

Visit www.usda.gov/budget for additional information regarding the FY 2008 budget proposal.

Beef Tenderness Study Results Released

Increased aging times, slower chill rates and a jump in branded beef programs are among the reasons beef tenderness has increased 18% over results recorded in 1999, according to the 2005 National Beef Tenderness Survey, a checkoff-funded effort that recently evaluated beef from retail and foodservice establishments in 11 U.S. cities.

Following a baseline survey of retail beef in 1990, tenderness performance increased 20%, according to findings in a 1999 study of both retail and foodservice beef cuts. The 2005 report marks the third national tenderness survey in the past 17 years.

Researchers sampled a variety of cuts from 82 retail outlets and six foodservice facilities in Seattle, Wash.; Los Angeles, Calif.; San Francisco, Calif.; Denver, Colo.; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Ill.; Kansas City; Atlanta, Ga.; Tampa, Fla.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and New York City. Cuts were evaluated through Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values and consumer sensory panel assessments. Various parts of the work was conducted by Texas A&M University, Oklahoma State University, University of Missouri, University of Florida, Pennsylvania State University, Texas Tech and South Dakota State University.

Tenderness was rated by both trained consumer sensory panels and with the WBSF test, which determines the amount of force, in pounds, needed to slice a steak or beef cut. Among the findings:

For retail cuts, the top loin, bone-in strip, bone-in ribeye, T-Bone and Porterhouse steaks had the lowest (most tender) shear-force values.
For foodservice cuts, top loin steaks were the most tender, compared to ribeye and top sirloin steaks.
Consumers rated the bone-in top loin the most preferable retail cut, based on attributes of tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall satisfaction.
Consumer preferences for foodservice cuts were affected by quality grade.
Beef used for retail was aged an average of 23 days, compared to 30 days for foodservice beef.
About 47% of retail cuts were marketed as part of a packer branded program.

The increasing number of branded beef programs, which require specific quality parameters, are having a positive effect on beef tenderness, said Glen Dolezal, vice chair of the Joint Product Enhancement Research Committee.

“The science, much of which has been provided by the beef checkoff, has allowed branded beef programs to deliver consistently tender and palatable beef — despite variation in marbling and quality grade,” he said.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.