Which Way to Traceability?

摘要

It's late at night and a visitor stops at a flashing yellow light of a rural intersection. With some uncertainty, the visitor peers over the steering wheel, foot on the brake, hand on the turn signal. Which way to go? That's the situation in which beef system traceability finds itself in the U.S., according to Gary C. Smith, Colorado State University distinguished professor and holder of the Ken and Myra Monfort chair in meat science. He says, "Traceability in the U.S. is sort of treading water," waiting for something to happen to propel it to the next step. When that happens is anybody's guess. But while the timeframe may be uncertain, the eventual move by the U.S. cattle industry to some form of life-cycle traceability seems a pretty safe bet.