[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 158 (Friday, August 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48112-48113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19309]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48112]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-LPS-14-0052]


United States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public comments on revising the United 
States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef. USDA is requesting 
comments concerning, but not limited to, the beef yield grade standard 
and carcass maturity. The current standards do not adequately reflect 
the genetic and production changes that have taken place in the cattle 
population since 1965 when a cutability or yield grade standard was 
first adopted. In 1997, the maturity requirements were changed to 
improve uniformity and consistency. Since that time, research has 
indicated that carcasses from fed steers and heifers less than 30 
months of age, based on dentition, should be classified ``A'' maturity 
for grading purposes even though the skeletal maturity characteristics 
of ``B'' or older may be present. Industry and other groups have 
discussed the possibility of changing the grade standards for carcass 
beef with AMS.

DATES: Comments on revising the standard are due no later than November 
13, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Beef Carcass Revisions, 
Standardization Branch, LPS Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., 
SW., STOP 0258, Washington, DC 20250. Comments may also be sent by fax 
to: (202) 690-2746 or by email to: ([email protected]). 
For additional information, please contact Lawrence Yates at: 
[email protected], or (402) 621-0836.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946, as amended, directs and authorizes the Secretary of 
Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of quality, condition, 
quantity, grade, and packaging and recommend and demonstrate such 
standards in order to encourage uniformity and consistency in 
commercial practices.'' AMS is committed to carrying out this authority 
in a manner that facilitates the marketing of agricultural commodities 
and makes copies of official standards available upon request. The 
United States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef do not appear in the 
Code of Federal Regulations but are maintained by USDA. These standards 
are located on USDA's Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/LSSTDZ. on the right side of the Web page select Standards to locate 
the Beef Carcass Grade Standard. To change the United States Standards 
for Grades of Carcass Beef, AMS plans to utilize the procedures it 
published in the August 13, 1997, Federal Register and that appear in 
part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    Background: Federal beef grading is a voluntary fee for service 
program, provided under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.). A primary purpose of grades is to 
divide the population of cattle and beef into uniform groups (of 
similar quality, yield, value, etc.), in order to facilitate marketing. 
Grades provide a simple, effective means of describing a product that 
is easily understood by both buyers and sellers. By identifying 
separate and distinct segments of a commodity, grades enable buyers to 
obtain that particular portion of the entire range of a commodity that 
meets their individual needs. At the same time, grades are important in 
transmitting information to cattlemen to help ensure informed decisions 
are made. For example, the market preference for a particular grade of 
beef is communicated to cattle producers so they can adjust their 
production accordingly.
    When beef is voluntarily graded, the official grade consists of a 
quality grade and/or a yield grade. The quality grades are intended to 
identify differences in the palatability or eating satisfaction of 
cooked beef principally through the characteristics of marbling and 
maturity. The principal official USDA quality grades for young 
(maturity groups ``A'' and ``B'') cattle and carcasses are Prime, 
Choice, Select, and Standard.
    USDA recognizes that the beef standards must be relevant to be of 
greatest value to stakeholders. Recommendations for changes in the 
standards may be initiated by USDA or by interested parties. The beef 
yield grade standard and equation was developed 50 years ago, and the 
cattle industry has undergone considerable change during those years. 
At that time, carcasses weighed in the 500 to 600 pound weight range. 
Today, carcasses average weight is in the 800 to 900 pound range, a 50 
percent increase. These carcasses are clearly beyond the scope of 
USDA's current yield grade equation. This is illustrated by research\1\ 
that has shown the application of the USDA's yield grade equation 
introduces a ribeye area bias, thereby skewing carcass values. It is 
imperative that the current yield grade standard and associated metrics 
be applicable to today's carcass population.
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    \1\ Lawrence et al., 2008, Journal of Animal Science 86:1434
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    Significant changes (such as feeding regimes--grass fed versus 
grain fed, instrument grading, management, and export requirements) 
have taken place in the beef industry since the current grade standards 
were adopted. Research \2\ revealed physiological maturity and its 
relation to chronological age, as estimated by dentition, results in a 
gender-dependent maturity misclassification. Further, carcasses from 
fed cattle under 30 months of age resulted in equivalent tenderness and 
trained taste panel assessments between ``A'' and ``B'' maturity 
groups.\3\ Gender bias in maturity misclassification of carcasses from 
cattle under 30 months results in decreased carcass value even though 
tenderness and expert taste panel outcomes are the same. Grades of beef 
carcasses are intended to be related both in value and with consumer 
acceptance. Collectively, the above discussion indicates that the 
current standards may

[[Page 48113]]

be improved by reexamining beef carcass yield grade as well as the 
methodology for maturity assessment.
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    \2\ Lawrence et al., 2001, Journal of Animal Science 79:1683
    \3\ Acheson et al., 2014, Journal of Animal Science 92:1792
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    AMS is soliciting comments from stakeholders about whether changes 
in the beef carcass yield grade standards and the methodology for 
maturity assessment should be made, and if so, what specific changes 
should be made. If, after analyzing the comments, AMS determines that 
changes are warranted, a notice will be published in the Federal 
Register proposing specific changes. Interested parties will have an 
opportunity to comment prior to a final decision adopting any changes.
    AMS is also soliciting comments on a review of the Department's 
beef instrument-grading program that was conducted by the American Meat 
Science Association in response to a USDA Office of Inspector General 
Report No. 50601-0002-31, issued July 2013. The beef grading instrument 
uses elements of the United States Standards for Grades of Carcass 
Beef. The report and review are available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/PublicationsInstrumentGradingSystems.

    Dated: August 11, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-19309 Filed 8-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P