The Wisconsin Beef Council in partnership with the U.S. Meat Export Federation – a contractor to the Beef Checkoff – recently hosted a trade team of Japanese food-service representatives to showcase the diversity and quality of beef raised and processed in Wisconsin. The tour was funded through an Ag Export Initiative grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. It also had support through the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board.
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Wisconsin welcomes Japanese visitors
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The group stops to view the herd bull at Huth Polled Hereford’s and S&H Livestock Enterprises, to learn more about the beef life cycle.
Jerry Huth and Josh Scharf share their vision about cattle care with eight Japanese visitors. They collaborate with their veterinarian on best practices regarding vaccinations and nutrition, and they are Beef Quality Assurance-certified. They practice reduced-stress cattle handling and breed for calving ease.
The group poses for a photo at Huth Polled Hereford and S&H Livestock.
The staff at Hean Meats breaks down a half carcass to showcase underutilized cuts and how they can be merchandised.
Visitors tour Ebert Enterprises near Algoma, Wisconsin, where they learn about animal care and nutrition from Randy and Jordan Ebert. Guests expressed an appreciation for the calm demeanor of dairy cows as they were being milked in the rotary parlor.
Jordan Ebert explains the nutrition program for their dairy-cross-beef animals. The stop showcased the connection between Wisconsin’s robust beef and dairy industries because the Eberts breed the bottom half of the dairy herd to Angus and feed out those cattle.
During a stop at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, the group tours the meat department, which includes a fresh-meat case and a dry-aging-beef cooler. The meat staff cooked product samples for the group.
Mario Rodriguez with JBS explains the various beef cuts the company provided as samples for the group.
The group poses for a photo in the carcass cooler at JBS.
The owner and chef of “Mardi Gras," an exclusive French restaurant in Ginza Tokyo, considers beef hanging in the cooler at JBS.
Jason Jerovetz, superintendent of production at American Foods Group in Green Bay, explains to the group the U.S. Department of Agriculture's grading system.
