FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 5, 2007

For more information contact:
Cindy Garretson-Weibel, Director, Agribusiness Division
Wyoming Business Council
Office: 307.777.6589

Business Council offers verified natural certification for livestock

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Business Council is offering a verified natural claim for livestock through its Wyoming Verified Program. Wyoming Verified Natural is a “never ever” marketing claim, meaning that animals have never received any feed or injected antibiotics, growth promoting hormones or animal products in their feed. The verification process through the onsite audit increases the value of the livestock.

“The program will add a higher level of validity to a producer’s natural claim for his calf or lamb crop,” said John Henn, Wyoming Business Council Livestock & Meat Marketing Program Manager.

The program will require an annual audit of the health records for identification of treated animals. Producers will also need to maintain feed records consisting of feed tags for audit purposes and verification.

“Many of the natural meat companies that I have visited with about such a claim are very interested in locating animals that are verified natural through an independent third party audit rather than just a signed affidavit,” said Henn. “They want a listing of certified producers as it becomes available so they can source these animals directly from the ranch.”

The Business Council offers free on site audits as a service to Wyoming producers. Anyone interested in learning more about the Wyoming Verified program for source and age, or natural verification can contact John Henn, Livestock & Meat Marketing Program Manager at 307.777.2847.

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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