Consumers seem to approve. The U.S. government, such as the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association and the World Health Organization, as well as the health authorities of nearly 40 countries also support the use of this technology. The next step is for the USDA to establish regulations for beef processors, and then processors decide how or if to implement the technology. Beef industry leaders say it will be a while before consumers are likely to see irradiated beef in retail stores. In the New Year, U.S. meat and processing plants will continue to implement a new federal food safety program to ensure meat safety.
Consumers show they are in favor of the new system.
These as well as hundreds of other questions are answered in the NCBA's newly revised Cattle and Beef Handbook. The Cattle and Beef Handbook is a comprehensive guide to cattle industry issues. Each section contains facts and statistics about the issue, as well as statements from third-party sources, charts, references, and questions and answers. We hope by creating this handbook, people of all backgrounds can gain an appreciation for the size and the impact the cattle and beef industry makes in our country and the world. For information, write to Communications Materials, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, P.O. Box 3469, Englewood, CO 80155.