HIGHER STANDARDS, HIGHER QUALITY.

• Verifying Our Cattle
 

Here at Ohio Signature Beef we understand the importance of the “All-Natural” component of All-Natural Beef to consumers who desire this product. Since Ohio Signature Beef is an All-Natural corn-fed beef, we need to assure our consumers that that is what they are receiving. We do this by several methods. They include: producer affidavit forms, scientific testing, and third-party verification.

Every beef steer/heifer that is fed for our program is required to be listed on an affidavit form that states that the animal has received certain care, which includes the following during the finishing phase (the last 140 days before harvest) of production:

• that the animal was never fed or implanted with any hormonal implants
• was never fed any animal by-products
• has never received any type of antibiotic
• has been fed a corn-based diet
• is less than 30 months of age
• and was raised in Ohio

The producer must sign to this information as well as record the identification number of the animal along with the sex and date of birth (if available) of the animal on the affidavit form. This is so we can verify that every time you bite into a cut of Ohio Signature Beef you are assured that it is an All-Natural corn-fed Ohio product.

Another protocol to our verification process is we test a certain percentage of the cattle for antibiotic residues. This process is where the kidney is taken from the beef carcass and sent to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and is tested for any residues. This is to reassure our consumers that Ohio Signature Beef is free of antibiotics.

Another verifying process our beef is sent through is third party verification. This is completed by the USDA in which a federal grader examines the affidavit form to make sure it is filled out correctly and that all the needed information was supplied. Also, the federal grader establishes the Quality and Yield Grade of the carcass. If the affidavit form passes his/her inspection and the carcass meets our criteria for Quality Grade the beef carcass then is certified by the USDA as Ohio Signature Beef. Carcasses that qualify for Ohio Signature Beef will have a certain stamp (G55) that signifies the carcass met the standards for Ohio Signature Beef.

This shows that our producers truly care about the quality of beef you serve your family. They want you to be assured that you will always be receiving a high quality product that is certified by both the producer and USDA that it is All-Natural Corn-fed Ohio Signature Beef.