AMES, Iowa -- This spring, the export agreement with Japan will likely be finalized and the beef trade will resume for the first time since 2003. However, as the Japanese borders open to U.S. beef, age verification is very likely to be a key issue. As a result, the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University (ISU) has developed sample age and source verification documents to assist producers in developing their own verification procedures.

In addition to the Japanese requirements, Country-of-Origin-Labeling (COOL) will become mandatory beginning September 2006, which will also require a set of verification procedures for cattlemen to follow. The Audit, Review, and Compliance Branch of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to use the same process for both programs, and thus producers can use the same relatively simple procedures to qualify for both programs. The Iowa Beef Center (IBC) documents are an example of how the system may work, and can be used as templates that producers can customize to their own operations and marketing needs.

"Verifying the age or source of your cattle doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to be thorough," says John Lawrence, director of the IBC. The procedures are the foundations for other niche and branded programs, and Lawrence says "they are sound management practices that incorporate many things that producers may already be doing." Lawrence also says that the documents, if filled out and maintained diligently, will meet USDA's expected documentation and auditing requirements and prepare them for marketplace requests for information.

Reg Clause, field specialist with ISU Extension's Value-Added Agriculture, explains that a comprehensive verification system is three-fold, including a signed affidavit that moves the cattle from the seller to the buyer, a written description of the production and management of the individual producer's operation and supporting documents that could be easily retrieved, should an audit occur.

Clause adds that the documents could be advantageous to marketing beef products, stating that "savvy producers who are prepared for these systems may have a distinct marketing advantage, as packers and niche companies are likely to pay a premium for the added security of age and source documentation."

The IBC documents include an Iowa Feedlot Management Description Form, an Iowa Cow-Calf Management Description Form, and a Transfer Form for cow-calf producers selling steers and heifers to feeders. These documents, along with an Age and Source Verification Fact Sheet, can be downloaded from the IBC's Web site (www.iowabeefcenter.org), and are free of charge.

The Iowa Beef Center began operation in 1996 to support the growth and vitality of the beef cattle industry of the state. A part of Iowa State University Extension, the Iowa Beef Center is the central access point for Iowa State University programs and research related to the beef industry. For more information, visit the website at www.iowabeefcenter.org or call (515) 294-BEEF.