For Immediate Release: Monday, June 6, 2005
Contact: Mary Lehecka Nelson, 773-3301
Pierre, SD – southdakotacertifiedbeef.com has a new look. Producers, processors and consumers interested in the SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED™ Initiative can use the site to gain valuable information on the program.
“This site is a window for the world to watch the development of this new Initiative,” said Jafar Karim, deputy secretary, Department of Tourism and State Development. “The site will provide producers, processors and consumers the most up-to-date information on SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED™. All they have to do is log on and fire-up our website.”
The Department of Tourism & State Development (TSD) is charged with promotion and marketing of the certification. TSD and the Department of Agriculture are working together on the specifics of program operation.
The departments finalized emergency rules for the program in late May and producers are enrolling this month. “South Dakota generates 1.8 million head of cattle annually,” Karim said. “Currently only 400,000 of those cattle are finished in South Dakota. The goal of SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED™ is to substantially increase that number.”
The first series of processor training is scheduled for June 13-15 in Brookings. “We have set up pilot program to fastrack several of our processors through the program,” Karim said. “This is a fairly intense training that includes a detailed program overview, review of participation requirements and training for those processors who will utilize the State Carcass Quality Certification System. This system is similar to the federal meat grading system and will be used to assess carcass quality and yield characteristics," Karim added.
The concept for this program was incorporated into the state’s 2010 Initiative, a long-term plan for tourism and economic development in South Dakota.
For more information on SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED™ Beef, visit southdakotacertifiedbeef.com.
