FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 13, 2006
For more information contact:

John Henn, Senior Agriculture Marketing Specialist
Wyoming Business Council
Office: 307.777.2847

Business Council to provide livestock source and age verification program

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Business Council Agribusiness Division is working to develop a new source and age verified program that will add value to Wyoming raised livestock.
The new program, called Wyoming Verified, is a U.S. Department of Agriculture Process Verified Program (PVP) that will certify livestock for export markets, such as the Bovine Export Verification (BEV) Program for Japan. PVP provides an economical, efficient way to ensure product quality, and to reduce risk and associated costs.

The recent reopening of the Japan and Hong Kong borders to U.S. cattle that meet the age requirement outlined by each country has increased demand for source and age verified cattle that are certified under a PVP.

“This program will add value to Wyoming produced livestock and increase the opportunity for Wyoming producers to capture that value in premiums being offered,” said John Henn, Wyoming Business Council Senior Agricultural Marketing Specialist. “The program guidelines are being developed and implementation is expected by March.”

To be eligible for certification, producers will be required to have verifiable and documented birth dates and a premise ID number. For cattle, the birth records may be individual birth date or the date of the first born with the bull turnout date recorded. These have to be written records for verification and individual animal traceability. It is anticipated that last year’s calf and lamb crop will be eligible to participate in the program as long as birth records were kept and the animals are traceable back to the premise.

If you have any questions on the type of records that will be required or details on the program, contact John Henn at 307-777-2847. Wyoming is one of the first states in the U.S. to have a state-wide Process Verified Program.

The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org.

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