USDA Approves Claims for Irish Beef

21 Jun 2017 --- Irish food board, Bord Bia have welcomed the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) approval of its proposal to advertise the unique qualities of Irish beef in the United States and said the decision will accelerate its activities with beef buyers and retailers and bring its message closer to the US consumer. 

The USDA seal of approval has now been given to the claims that Irish beef is: 

• More than 80% grass diet
• From farms participating in Bord Bia’s Origin Green Sustainability Scheme 
• Fully traceable from farm to fork
• From quality assured farms and processing systems
• Pasture for more than 6/7/8 months per year
• Raised on family farms
• Raised without the use of growth hormones
• Treated responsibly with use of antibiotics

The approval is the culmination of three years of engagement with USDA and last week’s visit by the USDA to Ireland to audit Bord Bia’s systems as the competent authority in registering and monitoring the Irish exporters who wish to use the claims. The decision ensures that Irish beef sold in the USA from Bord Bia approved plants can now carry the USDA shield and provide a further guarantee to US buyers and consumers that the unique claims Bord Bia makes are validated by their own national authority.

The announcement came following a meeting involving the USDA, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Michael Creed T.D. and Tara Mc Carthy, CEO, Bord Bia on day one of the trade mission to the United States. 

Following today's meeting with the US Department of Agriculture, Minister Creed said “I am extremely pleased that we have received the green light to proceed with a measure which has the potential to add significant value to our beef offering to the US. Irish beef processors will now have the opportunity to market their produce as ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ subject to adherence to the verification process. Such a marketing tool will allow our beef exporters pursue the Premium US beef market and will boost Irish beef exports to the US which will be crucial in terms of Brexit mitigation.”

Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy said that this achievement is reward for the considerable effort involved in pursuing an application through the USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) route (see Notes for Editor) and will reinforce Bord Bia’s marketing and promotion strategy in the US. 

“Bord Bia has worked hard to ensure that this application was a success and approval now allows us to bring our message closer to the US consumer. Earning the trust of the USDA after such a rigorous process will also enhance Ireland’s reputation in other markets and Bord Bia will maximise all opportunities this enhanced creditability may present.” 

“The claims we make to US customers are independently verifiable at farm and animal level and the Irish beef exporters who wish to use these marketing claims must comply with the requirements of the PVP and be independently audited. Ireland’s extremely robust Quality Assurance and animal movement systems, and the depth of information we collect in our farm audits, are key to backing up our claims and ensuring that they are protected,” she added.