| Verification
Service -- FAQ |
| |
| General |
| What is
CattleLog Verification Services? |
Micro Beef Verification Service is a comprehensive
program designed to help cattle producers verify
that their animals meet certain specifications.
Approved cattle are eligible to qualify for dozens
of popular value-added and branded programs. |
| |
| Why was
Micro Beef Verification Services created? |
| Micro Beef Verification
Services was created to do three things: |
| |
-
Create Supply:
Provide producers with a broad set of verification
criteria that allow cattle to qualify for a significant
number of value-added programs.
-
Verify Supply:
Provide producers and feedyards with a proven on-site
verification process which would validate the producer’s
claims and allow entry into value-added programs.
-
Match Supply and Demand:
Provide feedyards with a simplified way to identify
and purchase qualified cattle for their value-added
programs.
|
| |
| For
Producers |
| What
kind of verification is offered through Micro Beef
Verification Services? |
| Cattle may be
verified for one or more of the following programs: |
| |
- Age Verification (USDA PVP)
- Source Verification (USDA PVP)
- No Antibiotics
- No Implants
|
- No Ionophores
- No Animal Protein
- % Black
- BQA Certification
|
| Additional programs
will be added as packer and feedyard demands dictate. |
| |
| What packer
programs do approved cattle qualify for? |
| Approved cattle
can qualify for dozens of packer programs, including the
following: |
| |
- Tyson: Natural and CAB
- National: Natural, CAB, and Japanese EV
- Swift: CAB and Japanese EV
- Smithfield: CAB and Japanese EV
|
| Will age-verified
cattle qualify for the Japanese EV Program? |
Yes,
approved age-verified cattle under 21 months of age
will be eligible for export per the Japanese EV Program. |
| |
| How does
Micro Beef Verification Services help add value to
my cattle? |
Customers with qualified cattle may choose to list
qualified animals in the Micro Beef Listing Service,
a public listing of cattle that have been verified
through Micro Beef Verification Services. Qualified
customers are encouraged to list their normal marketing
resource (livestock market, order buyer, etc.) as
the contact for parties interested in purchasing
qualified cattle.
Use of the Micro Beef Listing Service is optional
but is strongly recommended in order to present cattle
to the largest possible number of buyers.
|
| |
| What
is required to qualify cattle through Micro Beef Verification
Services? |
| There are four
steps to qualify cattle through Micro Beef Verification
Services: |
| |
- Record Data in CattleLog: The animal must be tagged
and data recorded in CattleLog.
-
Request Verification: The producer
must request verification of the cattle by filling
out an audit request form and returning the completed
form to Micro Beef Customer Service.
- On-Site Audit: Micro Beef Staff will assign a trained
Micro Beef Agent to travel to the producer’s
farm/ranch and conduct an on-site verification.
- Approval: Approved cattle are notified.
|
| How long
does it take to complete the verification process? |
We
request at least 10 working days from the time an audit
is requested until the approval is needed. During peak
cattle movement, additional time may be required to
complete the verification process. |
| |
| Who will
perform the on-site verification? |
A
trained Micro Beef Agent will be assigned to conduct
the on-site verification. All Micro Beef Agents have
received specialized training and are familiar with
common animal production practices. In fact, most Micro
Beef Agents are veterinarians, feed dealers, order
buyers, livestock markets, or other grassroots cattle
businesses. |
| |
| What happens
during the on-site verification? |
The
Micro Beef Agent will interview the owner or key employees,
review production and purchase records, and view the
cattle being verified. The entire process usually takes
less than an hour. If your production records are in
order, it is a simple, painless process. |
| |
| What does
a producer receive if the cattle are verified? |
The
producer will receive an official approval letter with
complete animal listing, a copy of the Micro Beef Agent’s
On-Site Audit Report, and approval data fields will
be uploaded into CattleLog. |
| |
| How is
verification information transferred to buyers? |
The
owner of the verified animals receives an official
approval letter that contains all verification information
for the approved cattle. The buyer is responsible for
making arrangements with the seller to receive copies
of this information. If buyers record data from the
verified animals into CattleLog, they will be able
to view the verification status of all verified animals
in Micro Beef Reports. |
| |
| For
Buyers |
| How can
Micro Beef Verification Services help with cattle procurement? |
First, cattle that are approved through Micro Beef
Verification Services have been subjected to an on
site verification audit by a trained Micro Beef Agent.
This is the most stringent third-party verification
available today, a significant advantage over high-risk
affidavit-based verifications.
Second, by using the Micro Beef Listing Service,
buyers can quickly identify qualified cattle and
contact those animals’ respective marketing representative
or livestock market. This presents a significant cost
savings when compared to traditional procurement of
specialty cattle.
|
| |
| Have
packers endorsed Micro Beef Verification Services? |
Yes,
multiple packers were consulted in the development
of the Micro Beef Verification Services and have approved
this program as an acceptable means to supply cattle
to their branded and premium programs, including export
marketing programs. |
| |
| Will purchased
cattle qualify for Quality Systems Assessment (QSA) Programs? |
Yes,
qualified cattle will conform to the specifications
of most QSA programs. |
| |
For
more information on CattleLog Verification Services,
please call Micro Beef Customer Service
at 800-858-4330 or send us an email. |
