New Beef Products Approved for Mark of Quality

DENVER, Colo. (September 19, 2002) – Six new beef products have been accepted for use of the beef industry’s checkoff-funded Mark of Quality.  The products were approved, pending necessary packaging or product alterations, during an August Joint Brand-Like Commission meeting in Chicago.

In addition to delivering a great beef taste that consumers would expect, the products were chosen based on accurate on-pack preparation, safe food handling instructions, nutritional information and manufacturer contact information; correct product names and UPC coding; and a consumer guarantee of product satisfaction.  They join 49 other products that have already been approved for use of the Mark of Quality.  Use of the Mark is overseen by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and managed under contract to the Board by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

“These items stand out for their ability to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers while maintaining the integrity of the beef meal,” said James Herring, a cattle feeder from Amarillo, Tex., and chairman of the 9-member Joint Brand-Like Commission.  “We believe these items will provide great beef eating experiences for consumers, and keep them coming back to our product time after time.” 

The products represent three separate brands.  The brands and products are:

Smithfield Premium Meats^TM Tender‘n Easy Charbroiled Beef Patties

Smithfield Premium Meats^TM Quick-to-Fix^TM  Charbroiled Beef Cheeseburger

Quick-to-Fix® Fully Cooked Grilled Beef Burgers

Quick-to-Fix® Fully Cooked Grilled Beef Burgers - 100% USDA Choice Beef Chuck

Red Oak Farms® Old Fashioned Meat Loaf with Ketchup

Red Oak Farms® American Broil Roasted Beef Top Sirloin

These products went through an exhaustive testing and evaluation process at the NCBA Culinary Center in Chicago.  They were also individually evaluated by a consumer panel and by the beef producers who make up the Joint Brand-Like Commission.

The primary meat portion of all products selected must be 100 percent beef.  They must also have the great taste that consumers have come to expect from beef, and be branded by a manufacturer and supported in the marketplace by a consumer marketing program.  Products must be centrally processed at a USDA-inspected facility. 

Products are submitted by their respective companies for Mark of Quality approval, and the Joint Brand-Like Commission meets on a quarterly basis to evaluate items that have passed initial Culinary Center scrutiny.  All must receive final approval from both the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Executive Committee and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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