Traceability in red meat: market opportunity or threat?

Traceability poses market opportunities and threats for U.S. red meat producers for at least two reasons. First, consumers are becoming more concerned about the inputs and practices used to produce food and the ability to trace red meat to its source is an essential step in providing information to consumers about inputs and practices. Second, our principal competitors and customers in international red meat trade have been developing traceability systems. If our competitors are successful in differentiating their red meat products based on traceability, it could have a potentially devastating effect on U.S. red meat trade. This paper discusses these potential opportunities and threats and discusses the genesis of traceability, transparency, and assurance (TTA) in red meat markets.