Tuesday was the deadline for submitting comments to Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishery and Food (SAGARPA) on its proposed beef grading standards. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) filed comments in this proceeding, raising concerns about how English grade names could be used interchangeably with Spanish names, which would create confusion in the marketplace and diminish the value that the U.S. beef industry derives from the USDA grading system. There are also significant differences that make interchangeable use of the English and Spanish grade names problematic, including differences in marbling scores and in the procedures used to determine carcass grades. USMEF’s comments are available online. Read more…