The US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service is announcing the approval of three new vision grading instruments for use in its beef grading program.

This technology helps ensure consistent, uniform application of USDA beef grades that drives payments for producers, value determinations for packers, and ultimately communicates quality to the US consumer. The integration of these technologies aims to help modernize grading operations, support data-driven decision making and improve the overall transparency and uniformity of carcass evaluation for customers and stakeholders.  

Technology is approved to predict marbling scores for the application of Prime, Choice and Select grade shields, the application of Yield Grades (1-5) and the measuring of ribeye area that is often used in Certified Beef Programs.

The newly approved technologies are the Global Meat Imaging GMI Google Pixel 7a technology, JBT / Marel / E+V VBG2000-7L technology and the MEQ Inc. MEQ Camera V2 technology.

The full list of approved technologies includes Global Meat Imaging LLC's GMI Google Pixel 7a technology, approved to predict Official Beef Marbling Score; JBT / Marel / E+V's VBG2000-GigE technology; approved to predict Official Beef Marbling Score, Ribeye Area, Preliminary Yield Grade, and Yield Grade; JBT / Marel / E+V's VBG2000-7L technology, approved to predict Official Beef Marbling Score, Ribeye Area, Preliminary Yield Grade, and Yield Grade; MEQ Inc.'s MEQ Camera V2 technology, approved to predict Official Beef Marbling Score, Ribeye Area, Preliminary Yield Grade, and Yield Grade; and RMS/CVS, approved to predict Official Beef Marbling Score, Ribeye Area, Preliminary Yield Grade, and Yield Grade.

Source: USDA's AMS