2011 VIM/VQA Programs

Joint Veal Committee

Denver

February 5, 2011

VIM 2011 Strategy/Objectives• Overall VIM Strategy: Build on the success of industry’s

commitment to newly adopted Ethical Standards and Code of Conduct; expand veal farm tour program (geared toward the public) to facilitate beef council use within their own states, complete Veal Course for industry education purposes and revise the www.vealfarm.com web site. This tactic will also include an integrated communication program targeting meat industry media by working collaboratively with veal quality assurance based programs.

• Measurable Objective: Increase vealfarm.com usage by 10 percent

among veal industry participants and the public. Utilize FY 2010 metric as baseline for measuring usage growth in FY 2011.

 

Building Trust and Confidence in Veal Practices and Products

Complete Website Redesign• Full launch and marketing

– Create and execute an outreach/communication plan targeting key audiences to raise awareness of and usage of website

• Industry/industry partners• Trade media• Others

• Producer profiles– Complete 3 producer profiles for web –posting.

• Highlight farmer– Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin/Indiana

• Update 2 x week with news links or other material

Complete Website Redesign• Full launch and marketing

– Create and execute an outreach/communication plan targeting key audiences to raise awareness of and usage of website

• Industry/industry partners• Trade media• Others

• Producer profiles– Complete 3 producer profiles for web –posting.

• Highlight farmer– Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin/Indiana

• Update 2 x week with news links or other material

Editorial Calendar

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Eat Better, Choose Veal• On average, a trimmed, cooked three oz. serving of veal

contains 166 calories and only 5.6 grams of fat. • Veal is an excellent source of protein and a good source of

niacin, zinc, and vitamin B12 and B6.• With a variety of veal cuts available at a range of prices,

veal is affordable in everyone's budget.• As a mother, I know how important having access to

healthy food is. As a veal farmer, providing safe, wholesome food is a priority so I am committed to my animals by providing proper nutrition and quality animal care.

• This means the veal you serve your family is a good source of important lean protein.

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Veal Farm Tour Toolkit

• Kendall College Tour

• NY Dairy/Veal Tour

• PA Farm Tour

• And you?

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Telling the Story

•Brookline Town Council•National Provisioner •Progressive Dairyman•Mark Levin•Proactive Issues Management•Reporter Outreach

NY Times, Washington Post

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Considerations• USDA oversight and review of

content/information

• Must meet CBB acknowledgement guidelines

• Increased sensitivity to policy/legislative outreach or appearance

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Discussion?

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Veal Quality Assurance

Veal Quality Assurance Mission

• Ensure that veal calves are cared for with ethical management practices that will result in a safe, wholesome, consistent quality veal product for the consumer

• Enhance veal meat quality by preventing residues, pathogen contamination and defects on the meat

• Promote industry standards and best practices based on recommendations from veterinarians, nutritionists and animal care experts

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VIM/VQA 2011 Strategy/Objectives

• Overall VQA Strategy: Continue to develop and implement targeted producer education programs by updating technical bulletins, recertifying producer and allied industry through web-based education programs, and by working directly with veal feed companies and veal packer/processors.

• Measurable Objective: Update at least two technical bulletins, establish web-

based education updates at least quarterly and develop email communications system through vealfarm.com and focused industry communication efforts. Success will be measured by achieving 100% annual recertification of veal quality assurance program.

 

Veal Quality Assurance• Two Technical Bulletins

– Work with committee to identify topics and produce bulletins• Using Direct-Fed Microbials (DFM) in the Veal Barn—drafted• Rabies/Biosecurity

– Post at www.vealfarm.com

• Update VQA Materials– Finalize new VQA materials based on FY 2010 committee work,

review and analysis– Launch and market new materials to key audiences

• Producers, packers, feed company reps• SBC• Industry partners• Customers as appropriate

– Update www.vealfarm.com with update program material

Veal Quality Assurance• Database transfer and update

– Transfer updated database to new www.vealfarm.com platform

– Improve process for capturing information and tracking VQA certification using www.vealfarm.com database

• Training– Review current training materials for update

based on manual changes– Finalize online certification test– Offer online and classroom VQA

training/certification utilizing volunteer trainers

VQA Certification

• Formula One has provided classroom certification to approximately 100 participants.

• Developed training resource guide for trainers

• Ongoing outreach to feed reps and companies for VQA certification

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Ongoing VQA outreach/discussion• Define group housing standards• Engage with dairy producers to find mutual

solutions to residue violations and recognize their role as meat producers in addition to milk producers– Engage with Nat’l Milk Producers Federation

and other producer groups– Progressive Dairyman oped

• Clarify animal health product usage for veal farmers

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Considerations• USDA oversight and review of

content/information

• Must meet CBB acknowledgement guidelines

• Increased sensitivity to policy/legislative outreach or appearance

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Discussion

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