Properly Prepared Beef Remains Safe; Meat Institute Calls For Guidance to Protect Workers 

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a nationwide order including requiring lactating dairy cows to test negative for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) before interstate transport, the Meat Institute today said that properly prepared beef remains safe to eat and called for USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide worker safety guidance specific to beef processors to ensure workers are protected from infection.

“USDA and CDC are working overtime to understand the spread of the virus...

Shrinking Supply of Dairy Heifers May Limit Growth of U.S. Milk Production

A sharp decline in the number of dairy heifers available to replace older cows exiting the U.S. dairy herd could limit any meaningful growth in domestic milk production over the next few years. The number of dairy replacement heifers has fallen almost 15% over the last six years to reach a 20-year low, according to data from the USDA’s most recent Cattle report. While the global demand outlook for U.S. dairy products remains murky due to export market uncertainties, any potential growth opportunities may be...

Japanese Buyers Visit Wisconsin to Learn about U.S. Dairy Cattle and Beef Quality

As sales recover slowly from the pandemic in Japan’s foodservice sector, buyers are seeking new ideas to cap rising input costs. A key strategy for USMEF this year is to present economical options to buyers, such as underutilized cuts of beef and in some cases, beef from dairy cattle. Japan abolished the cattle age limit for imported beef in 2019, which opened the door to importing beef from dairy cattle.

USMEF’s Tokyo office led a team of foodservice buyers to Wisconsin last...