USDA pilot program will test remote grading of beef carcasses

The USDA is launching a pilot program that will grade cattle carcasses by using images submitted electronically by small meatpackers rather than sending an inspector to the plant, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce on Friday. The Remote Grading Pilot for Beef is intended to reduce costs for small packers while giving them an opportunity to increase the value of the meat they produce.

“On average, a beef carcass that grades as USDA Prime is valued at hundreds of dollars more than an ungraded carcass,” according to remarks prepared for Vilsack ahead of a panel discussion with producers at the National Western Stock Show in Denver.

The USDA charges a fee to grade and certify carcasses. While larger packing plants routinely use the service, the USDA said it is “significantly underutilized” by small-volume packers who may not handle enough cattle in a day to justify the cost of bringing an inspector to the plant.

In the pilot program, small-plant employees will be trained to capture specific images and transmit them to a USDA grader, “likely located in another rural community,” the agency said. The grader will review the images and accompanying records before assigning a quality grade — such as prime, choice, or select — and the appropriate carcass certification and sending the official grade back to the plant.

Eligibility for the pilot program is limited to domestic beef plants operating under federal inspection.

Information about the remote grading pilot program is available here.