Cargill Beef is 1st major processor to earn USDA tenderness program certification
Cargill’s tenderness laboratory at the company’s Wichita innovation center is the first of any major U.S. processor to receive U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), certification for its beef tenderness program. Additionally, Cargill’s beef processing plants at Dodge City, Kan.; Schuyler, Neb.; Fort Morgan, Colo.; and Friona, Texas, have been certified by USDA for the harvest, fabrication (production) and packaging of tender products.
As part of its ongoing commitment to beef quality, Cargill has aggressively conducted tenderness testing since 2000, focused on providing consumers with a consistently tender eating experience that translates into increased beef demand. The company is currently working toward introduction of its certified tender beef products in early 2014. Ten cuts of beef are eligible for designation as “USDA tender” or USDA very tender” under this certification program.