USDA Now Using Instrument Beef Grading

WASHINGTON ¯ For the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service began officially grading beef carcasses with the assistance of specially designed instruments that predict quality and yield grade attributes. The instrumentation could enhance the accuracy and consistency of U.S.D.A. beef grade assignments and provide more objective and reliable information on quality and yield attributes to all segments of the marketing chain, according to the agency.

A.M.S. officials have been working with the industry over the past several years to refine the instrument grading technology to ensure accuracy, repeatability, system integrity, and capability of operating under plant conditions.

"The implementation of instrument grading for beef carcasses represents an effective collaboration among A.M.S., technology providers, as well as those in academics and the cattle and beef industry," said Lloyd C. Day, A.M.S. administrator. "As the use of instrument technology becomes more widespread in the beef industry, the accuracy and precision of U.S.D.A. grade applications will increase and, as a result, could become a major factor as the beef industry moves toward value-based marketing."

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