Pennsylvania’s agricultural infrastructure and proximity to major population centers give the state a leg up in providing finished beef cattle to the nation’s consumer markets. But to capitalize on these advantages, producers must pay close attention to quality and efficiency.

To help strengthen the state’s $360 million-per-year beef industry, Penn State Cooperative Extension and the Pennsylvania Beef Council have teamed up for an intensive one-on-one educational program, “Blueprint for Success for Cattle Feeding in Pennsylvania.” The program aims to bolster beef cattle profitability by encouraging producers to embrace benchmarks and best management practices.

“The idea of setting goals by using benchmark comparisons is not new; the dairy industry has done it for years,” says animal scientist JohnComerford. “Producers compare their operations to a state or national average to reveal areas for improvement and goal-setting in their own enterprises.”

Developed by producers, educators, processors, and agribusinesses, the program tackles issues of quality assurance. “Looking through the eyes of consumers, we’re aiming for a beef product that exceeds expectations in taste, price, color, safety, leanness, ease of preparation and anything else important to them,” explains Paul Slayton, executive director of the beef council.

The program’s centerpiece is the 10-Point Benchmark for Quality Cattle in Pennsylvania, a set of standards that pinpoints sources of value. “The benchmarks include minimum and maximum carcass weights, limits on carcass fat content, parameters for feed quality and other standards,” Comerford says. “The blueprint addresses what producers must do to remain a viable part of agriculture in Pennsylvania and to help carry the industry in the next 10 to 20 years.”

Wendall Landis, the beef council’s director of quality assurance certification, will assist producers with issues relating to beef quality assurance and profitability. “As far as quality grades, Pennsylvania does better than the national average,” Landis says. “However, there still is a gap between consumer demand for the branded beef products that come from these cattle and the number of carcasses that actually make the grade.”

Comerford says the program should help producers improve quality and profitability. “The difference, at any given time, between the most and least profitable steer in the feedlot is about $300,” he says. “Where’s all the money? It’s out there in your feedbunk and in the decisions you make.”

To find out more about the Blueprint for Success, contact Wendall Landis by phone at (717) 702-2015 or by e-mail at wlandis@das.psu.edu. Information also can be found on the Web at http://www.das.psu.edu/xlivestock.cfm.

—Gary Abdullah