Meyer is convinced the secret to giving consumers what they want is a better flow of information up and down the system. Part of that is getting information back to the farmers about their calves, such as information about health in the feedlot, tenderness, consumer approval, etc. That means everyone can identify where that product came from. So it will be possible when you go to the grocery store and buy a cut of meat, to look on the label for a code that shows on what farm that calf was born. The technology uses electronic identification tags.
Marketing agencies have a lot to do with where calves go after they leave Kentucky.
Farmers need to be rewarded for better quality. That's another reason Meyer believes marketing partnerships are important. We really need investments in traditional technologies like health programs, genetics, and forage management. The market will create demand, but the only way to give the consumers what they want is with better technology. One way of boosting these investments is with cost-share programs.