Agricultural News
Certified Angus Beef Continues to Grow, Bringing Profitability Back to Cattlemen
Thu, 11 Feb 2016 15:54:51 CST
The Certified Angus Beef (CAB) program is all about bringing economic value back to Angus cattle producers. That's according to CAB Board Chairman and Angus producer John Pfeiffer from Mulhall, Oklahoma. He said the original purpose of the branded beef program was to increase the value of registered Angus cattle, primarily Angus bulls. Pfeiffer feels CAB has fundamentally changed the beef industry because it has been able to return premiums back to producers.
CAB is considered the gold standard when it comes to branded beef programs in this country. The CAB lineup continues to grow with new value-added products. CAB continues to grow domestically along with expanding into markets globally. Pfeiffer said CAB looks to open a certification plant in Russia in the next 30 days.
CAB has made a huge impact on how cattle producers manage their herd. Pfeiffer said the program has changed how cattlemen look at genetic selection and make herd mating decisions. Since attending a Certified Angus meeting in the early 1980's, he said their breeding program completely changed in aiming to produce cattle that will meet CAB specifications.
Today supplies of CAB products continues to grow. In the late 1970's, acceptance rates into CAB was around seven to eight percent. Pfeiffer said there were months with acceptance over 30 percent this past year. With these larger Angus beef supplies, CAB will focus more efforts on the retail sector.
"Usually once we get them to taste the beef once, we have them hooked for life," Pfeiffer said.
CAB is one of the oldest branded beef programs in the U.S. Since the program started in 1978, Pfeiffer said sales have been the top priority. While it's been a long, slow progress, he said CAB today has a loyal following from chefs, retail and wholesale outlets, as well as consumers.
Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with Pfeiffer at the Cattle Industry Convention in San Diego held last week. Click or tap on the LISTEN BAR below to listen to their conversation.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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