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CHB Hosts International Visitors for Processor and Producer Tour

CHB Hosts International Visitors for Processor and Producer Tour

June 22, 2017

Certified Hereford Beef (CHB®) and Agri Food & Feed joined forces with the U.S. Meat Export Federation June 12-16 to host an international culinary tour beginning in Philadelphia, Pa., and ending in Garden City, Kan. …


Certified Hereford Beef (CHB®) and Agri Food & Feed joined forces with the U.S. Meat Export Federation June 12-16 to host an international culinary tour beginning in Philadelphia, Pa., and ending in Garden City, Kan. A group of eight chefs and importers from Barbados and Trinidad came to America to receive an in-depth look at the CHB program and the connection between American agriculture and the restaurant industry.

The trip began with a tour of Rastelli Foods in Swedesboro, N.J. Rastelli’s became a CHB processing partner in 2016. Following the plant tour, international visitors listened to a ‘Beef 101’ presentation from Dr. Rhonda Miller, professor in the meat science division in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University.

Miller covered beef price forecasting, value cut opportunities and the primal cut breakdowns. Ron Santoro, CHB regional brand manager, was on hand to discuss CHB program specifications, the sustainability of the Hereford breed and the value of CHB products.

 

“It was great to meet with the international visitors,” Santoro said. “They were all very engaged in our presentations. They asked a lot of questions about sustainability, the difference between breeds of cattle and why Herefords are so genetically dominant.”

During the presentations, the group tasted a sampling of different beef options including grass-fed beef, all-natural beef, non-domestic beef and a range of CHB products. Santoro explained to guests the differences in flavor, tenderness and palatability of all the products.

“A lot of the attendees were all-inclusive resort chefs and they have to stick to a strict budget,” he said. “We feel that if you’re serving a superior product, you’re going to serve more plates and have more repeat customers. That’s what it’s all about, the repeat customer.”

The group then traveled to Kansas on June 14 to continue the tour with a visit to the National Beef packing plant in Dodge City, Kan. There, visitors learned about the process an animal goes through from harvest to boxed beef, along with the methods of food safety in American packing plants.

After visiting National Beef, Trey Befort, CHB director of commercial programs, met up with the group at the Ford County Feed Yard in Ford, Kan.

“It’s always interesting to see international customers perspectives of production and how our product is produced in the U.S.,” Befort said. “I gave them a look at how quality is added through the finishing phase using high-quality feed at the Ford County Feed Yard.”

 

Later, Befort led the group to Sandhill Farms in Haviland, Kan. Kevin and Vera Shultz, owners of Sandhill Farms, showed visitors the beginning stage of Hereford cattle production and how genetics and animal care ensure the best quality product to enter the CHB program.

“We enjoy taking international customers out to Hereford ranches to allow them to see where the process begins and what all goes into producing cattle for the CHB program,” Befort said. “It all starts with Hereford genetics. That’s what makes our product unique. We enjoy showcasing the roots of Certified Hereford Beef and the process of getting it to market with our customers.”