065 | Advocacy: Packer Processing with MERCK

Listen to this week’s Discover Ag episode: Packer Processing with MERCK with Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen now available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

On this week’s show, Nat and Tara have a special advocacy episode today with Dr. Jessica Finck and they plan to cover several topics including,

• Overview of Packing Plants

• Tracking of the Animals During Processing

• Direct to Consumer vs Packer Beef

• Why Aren’t There More Processing Plants?

• Antibiotics in the Beef Industry

• And more!

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Packer Processing Plants

This week’s show is part of our new monthly advocacy episode where we will feature an expert in agriculture to get their take on a topic that our audience wants to know more about. Have a topic or guest you’d like to us cover on the show? Head over to the Discover Ag Instagram and shoot us a message or send us an email at DiscoverAgPodcast@gmail.com.

Overview of a Packer Processing Plant

The show kicks off with Dr. Jessica Finck giving us an overview of a processing plant and what happens when animals arrive to be processed. Both Natalie and Tara have toured a processing plant and today, they are hoping to wipe away some of the misconceptions that people might have about them. Jessica goes on to say that once the animals are unloaded, they are carefully looked over to make sure they are fit for consumption, and the ones that do not fit the standard are not processed. Another misconception is that packing plants are stressful and loud, Jessica says that is just not the case. Packers are also careful and respectful of the animals coming through the plant.

Tracking of the Animals

Something interesting that people might now be aware of is that throughout the whole processing system, is that everything can be traced back to the cow it came from. From the time a cow enters the plant to the time it gets packaged to be shipped out, the same barcode remains with the meat with all of the identifying information that the cow came in with. The information included can be anything from the animal’s date of birth, ownership history, veterinary records, genetic bloodlines, etc. However, the information is only used to track the cow inside the packing plant, once it leaves the plant, the tracking information stays behind.

Direct to Consumer vs Packer Beef

While there isn’t a right or wrong answer here, we do think it’s important to know the difference between direct to consumer beef vs packer beef you get at the grocery store. A pro of direct to consumer is you know exactly where and how that cow was raised. Whereas grocery store beef could be from a variety of places and you don’t have a direct connection to seeing how that cow was raised or where it was from. A con of direct to consumer is the up front cost for the consumer. Sometimes you have to buy it in quarters rather than by the cut which is what most consumers are used to. There are several other pros and cons to each side, so make sure to tune into the conversation around the 9 minute mark.

Why Aren’t There More Packing Plants?

In case you’re unfamiliar, there are four main meat processing plants in the United States and they are, Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS SA and National Beef Packing. Between the four of them they process a majority of the beef industry and one of the biggest questions we always get is, why can’t we just open more processing plants? Jessica explains in detail that there are several factors that go into setting up and operating a meat packing facility but ultimately, what it comes down to is cost.

Antibiotics in the Beef Industry

There is a program in the US called the United States National Residue Program and they test for over a 100 different compounds that could be found in meat, poultry, and egg products. With the exception of eggs, meat and poultry have been being tested in the US since 1967. The test is done via a swab usually of the liver or kidney to test for compounds that are not wanted in the food system. If that swab is positive for any unwanted compound, the meat of that animal is thrown away. Because of the tracking put in place, the packers can trace that exact animal back to the producer it came from. Taking that a step further, there is a Residue Program Violation list where a producer can be blacklisted for having two failed swabs within 12 months.

In addition to all of the great topics above, you can also catch topics such as how every part of the cow is used and sold, the origin of label for the meat industry, importing/exporting standards, and what’s next for the meat packing industry.

A Huge Thanks to our Show Sponsor: Merck Animal Health

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