EARLIER THIS WEEK, USDA ANNOUNCED THAT THE USA WILL SOON ALLOW THE IMPORTATION OF 300,000 METRIC TONS OF FOREIGN BEEF FROM CATTLE RAISED AND SLAUGHTERED OUTSIDE THE USA. THIS BEEF WAS SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN FOR IMPORTATION BECAUSE IT IS VERY LEAN.
IN THE USA, MOST OF THE BEEF THAT IS PRODUCED IS FATTENED IN A FEEDLOT. THE CATTLE SLAUGHTERED AFTER THIS FATTENING PROCESS WILL YIELD HIGHLY MARBLED STEAKS AND A PRODUCT CALLED “50% LEAN BEEF”. THE STEAKS WILL BE PACKAGED FOR SALE. THE 50% LEAN AND 50% FAT BY-PRODUCT WILL BE MIXED WITH IMPORTED LEAN TRIMMINGS TO PRODUCE WHAT CONSUMERS PURCHASE AS GROUND BEEF.
100 pounds of 95 % lean imported product.
[costs about $4.00 per pound]
Blended with-
100 pounds of 50% fat American product from feedlot beef.
[costs about $1.31 per pound - see below]
The blended price of the resulting 200 pounds of 72% lean blended beef should be about $2.66 per pound to the consumer.
It is CHEAP BEEF...and [because it is blended in with American feedlot 50% trim] the volume of this cheap product that big meat importers have available for their customers is TWICE as much salable product as it appeared to be.
[AND... AN ADDED FEATURE IS THAT ONE POUND OF THIS BLENDED GROUND BEEF WILL CONTAIN THE DNA OF COUNTLESS INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.]
THE DECISION TO IMPORT THIS LEAN TRIM HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE. IT IS COMING TO A RETAIL MARKET NEAR YOU. AND, THE WAY THAT LABELING LAWS ARE CURRENTLY WRITTEN, CONSUMERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DECIPHER IMPORTED BEEF FROM AMERICAN RAISED AND SLAUGHTERED BEEF.
- WILL HARRIS
