FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 6, 2007

For more information contact:
John Henn, Livestock and Meat Marketing Program Manager
Wyoming Business Council
Phone: 307.777.2847

Tom Lacock, Senior Marketing and Public Relations Specialist
Wyoming Business Council
Phone: 307.777.2834

Wyoming Verified now offers verified natural claim

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Verified Program offers a private third party verified natural claim for Wyoming producers in addition to AgInfoLink’s USDA-approved Process verified program (PVP) for source and age verification.

The Wyoming Verified Natural claim is a “never-ever” claim, which means the cattle carrying the Wyoming Verified Natural Claim have never had antibiotics, growth hormones and are on an all vegetarian diet without animal byproducts. This meets the criteria of nearly every natural meat company’s standards and provides access for new potential buyers.

“The verified natural claim, which was added in 2007, will have a higher level of value and compliance compared to signed affidavits for feeders sourcing natural feeder cattle,” says John Henn Wyoming Verified program manager for the Wyoming Business Council. The Wyoming Verified Natural Program is offered as a service by the Wyoming Business Council through AgInfoLink to Wyoming producers.

The Wyoming Verified Natural Program will be a “never ever” marketing claim requiring annual on site audits of producers’ health and feed records, and the use of Radio Frequency Identification tags for individual identification.

“This natural claim will meet most natural meat companies’ criteria for their products with the assurance that the claim has been verified through an independent audit of ranch records” says Henn.

Buyers wanting to source feeder cattle directly at the ranch that are Wyoming Verified Natural, and Source and Age Verified can go to the Wyoming Beef Cattle List at www.wyobeef.com. As producers enroll livestock in the program the listing is updated, according to Henn. More information can be obtained on the Wyoming Verified Program and locating source, age, and natural verified livestock in Wyoming by contacting John Henn 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.

###