The U.S. cattle industry’s Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program was originally created in the 1980s as a grassroots-driven and voluntary process control system to better meet consumer demands related to the safety, quality and wholesomeness of beef.

Before getting into specifics about South American beef production, it’s important to review how the U.S. fits into the global beef production industry.

Without question, significant opportunities exist today for young people in the U.S. beef industry. Our nation’s cattle producers are getting older.

The adoption level of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program guidelines by the cattle industry has primarily been evaluated at harvest via the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA), at processing through injection site blemish audits or on cattle operations by small local or regional surveys.

Forage cost for cow-calf producers has increased dramatically in recent years, in part due to fewer acres of forage produced (due to competition from feed grains) and considerable drought throughout the U.S.

As the price of corn continues to hover around the historically high $8-per-bushel mark, feedyard concern about the performance of incoming cattle has never been greater.

According to USDA data, 3.6 million beef cows, 2.8 million dairy cows and 622,000 bulls were harvested in the U.S. in 2011.

The majority of U.S. cow-calf producers spend time and money to add some level of “value” to their calves before selling each fall. Historically, this has included using basic management practices including dehorning, castration and using superior genetics for growth, as well as selling calves in larger groups that are similar in age, weight, color and type.

Due to the reduced (and further shrinking) U.S. beef cow inventory, prices for cull cows (also referred to in a more consumer-friendly manner as “market” cows) have been extraordinary over the past few years. It’s remarkable to see utility slaughter cows selling today for $70 per hundredweight (cwt). Over the past two years, they have consistently sold for around $60 per cwt.