Verification Programs . . .

The demand for verification of age and source of the beef supply is increasing, not only within the industry but from consumers as well, both in the United States and around the world.

How Has TLN Met This Demand?

The Tennessee Livestock Network has developed a partnership with the Southeastern Livestock Network (SLN) and is offering beef producers the opportunity to improve the marketability of their product (their cattle) through age and source verification.  They do this through a program called a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) which verifies the age and source of the beef from a producer’s cattle through an approval process verifying the producer’s records.  This program is coordinated through AgInfoLink.  TLN, working with auction markets, also help to offer producers the opportunity to market PVP approved animals through special sales where there are buyers wanting the age and source verified animals.

What Records Are Needed?

The PVP requires producers to keep records attesting to the age of calves that will be marketed together as a group.  Records can be as simple as noting the first and last calf born within a group on a TLN approved calendar or as thorough as keeping computerized records on each individual animal.  One requirement of the program is that all cows and calves are individually identified and before being shipped from the farm, all calves must be identified with a USDA approved radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is ISO compliant and is compatible with the Voluntary National Animal Identification System.

How Do Producers Get Involved?

Producers can be enrolled only by individuals who have been properly trained by SLN staff and are certified to be PVP enrollers.  To find out who to contact in your area, view this file.