Vol 2, No 37

Now that I’m in the Wagyu business what is the best way for me to market my product? Is direct marketing for me or is working as a cooperator more suitable to our program? This week I’m featuring three speakers for the 2021 Annual Conference that have successfully launched and sustained profitable marketing programs. Be sure to bring your questions for these successful marketers.

I also want to bring your attention to an important update we recently received from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit comments and information regarding the labeling of meat and poultry products made using cultured cells derived from animals under FSIS jurisdiction. FSIS will use these comments to inform future regulatory requirements for the labeling of such food products. I’ve included below more information from NCBA on how to comment or submit information to the USDA on this important issue.

We look forward to seeing you in Fort Collins, CO., September 23-25, 2021.

Sheila is a retired pediatrician who founded Vermont Wagyu in 2007. The farm started selling beef in 2010 to Michelin starred restaurants in NYC, via carcass sides. In 2019, she added family team member Max Patinkin to launch an E-commerce oriented website. The website has been revised with the Covid 19 pandemic, and now is the ordering source for a farm to table, direct sales national program. Her story is about the challenges of converting a sales program amidst a pandemic, and touches upon fulfillment, shipping, and marketing issues from a small farm in Vermont.

Bradbury is responsible for Grass Run Farms, Think Pure Natural and Organic Brands and Imperial Wagyu Beef. Charlie is a long-time veteran of the Natural Beef space. He was the founding President and CEO as well as part owner of Nolan Ryan Beef, one of the earliest Natural Beef Brands and still a strong regional brand in Texas. Charlie joined JBS in 2014 to build a strong domestic grassfed beef brand. He led the acquisition of Grass Run Farms as well as the tremendous growth the brand has experienced in the past 5 years. Grass Run Farms is among the largest and fastest growing grassfed beef brands in the US. Charlie also managed the JBS acquisition of Imperial Wagyu Beef in 2019. Charlie leads the Imperial Program. Imperial is a vertically integrated program stretching from ownership and selection of Wagyu bulls and semen to production, finishing, harvesting and distribution of high-quality American Wagyu beef to retailers and food service operators both domestic and international. Charlie resides in Huntsville Texas where he enjoys managing his own small cattle herd in his spare time.

Steve Sands is Vice President of Protein for Performance Foodservice. He is a highly regarded foodservice industry veteran with over 35 years of experience in all phases of the meat business. In 1979, he became the fourth generation of his family to own and operate Standard Meat Co. During the 1980’s Standard Meat became a leading supplier of steak and ground beef products to Sysco and one of the earliest exporters to Japan. The company focus expanded into additional export opportunities and specialized branded beef programs during the 1990’s and was sold in 2000 to Meyer Natural Angus. Over the next several years, Steve helped to build Meyer into the largest natural and organic beef company in the U.S. In 2003, he left Meyer to form Premium Protein Products, a beef and poultry harvest and processing company dedicated to high value specialty protein programs. PPP was sold in 2006 and after helping to transition the company to a new management team, Steve left in 2009 to join Performance Food Group as Vice President for Protein. The protein category has become PFG’s largest, fastest growing, and most profitable category. The Braveheart Angus program was the first DNA traceable program in the U.S. and has helped to commercialize a variety of production practices including “on-farm” audits. PFG has gone on to develop a family of brands like Allegiance Pork and Farmsmart Poultry that continue to help fuel PFG’s rapid growth.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit comments and information regarding the labeling of meat and poultry products made using cultured cells derived from animals under FSIS jurisdiction. FSIS will use these comments to inform future regulatory requirements for the labeling of such food products.

The ANPR is requesting comment on specific topics to be considered during rulemaking related to statutory and regulatory requirements for the labeling of these meat and poultry products: consumer expectations about the labeling of these products, especially in light of the nutritional composition and organoleptic qualities (taste, color, odor, or texture) of the products; names for these products that would be neither false nor misleading; economic data; and any consumer research related to labeling nomenclature for products made using animal cell culture technology. The ANPR also discusses how FSIS will generally evaluate labels for these products if they are submitted before the agency completes rulemaking. There is a 60-day period for comment on the ANPR.

A copy of USDA’s press release can be viewed here. To view the ANPR and for more information on how to comment or submit information, visit the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/federal-register-rulemaking/federal-register-rules.

Please know that NCBA plans to submit substantive comments as part of this effort.

Helpful Links

Stockmanship & Stewardship
Beef Quality Assurance
Beef Improvement Federation
Masters of Beef Advocacy
National Education Center for Agricultural Safety
Beef Cattle Community
eBEEF

Advertise with the AWA
The American Wagyu Association offers many ways members can advertise their genetics and products through AWA services. These include Face Book, Premium Advertising Page, eBlasts, Classifieds, the Annual Breeders Guide and other opportunities. Contact the AWA office for more information or visit wagyu.org/members/advertising-services

Download our advertising fee schedule

Robert Williams, Ph.D.
Executive Director

Contact us at office@wagyu.org for any advertising inquires.
Visit us at wagyu.org for more information about the Wagyu breed.