Is American Beef Safe to Eat?- Exploring the Quality of Agricultural St

as Americans we have to be conscious of the foods that we eat that come from the different livestock. Everything that is not a vegetable comes from some form or another of livestock and sometimes we have to wonder; where is the food coming from? If you asked any five year old he would say â€Å"the grocery store†, however as consumers we have to be knowledgeable of the foods we put into our bodies and have good faith that they are coming from quality sources. the cattle industry and government to safeguard the food that we eat. There are already many standards in place, but are they enough? How can we increase the quality of these standards What do we need to be mindful of that decreases the value of these standards What are some of the actions being taken by private industry to ensure quality? Is the government taken the same actions to keep the American consumer safe? United States Department of Agriculture Standards Within the United State there is only one set of standards to grade beef and beef products being distributed interstate. The USDA put these standards in place after the Wholesome Meat Act of 1967 which states that, â€Å"USDA has authority to control movement of unfit meat and meat products and to require poultry products in interstate and foreign commerce to meet Federal inspection standards.† There are seven standards in place for commercial beef sale in the United States; they are on a sliding scale. Excellent quality beef is labeled as prime, which has a high degree of marbling or fat throughout the back, loin, ribs, and rump. Prime beef is going to be mainly used in steakhouses and restaurants throughout the nation. The quality of this particular type of beef is superior to the next standard of beef, choice... ...he different vessels of marketing and production. There are also several options for vaccination depending upon if it is being done prior to weaning the calf or during the weaning process. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Program has gone through great lengths to ensure calves and cattle are being properly vaccinated. They have come up with a program that is conscious to the different financial and economical situations of the rancher. The most basic program is made up of only one shot per cow, and fails to cover the most common reproductive viruses, brucellosis, leptospirosis and campylobecteriosis. However, this basic vaccination is super cost effective, at only $3.11 per cow. The â€Å"best† program covers everything from 5-way leptospirosos, 8-way clostridal toxoid, to Pasteruella hemolytica. This program is almost ridiculous at a cost of $8.69 per cow.