New Zealand Resumes Imports of Canadian Beef

[cakadu]

Wasn't there an agreement signed not all that long ago - in the last 18 months or so - between the US and Australia to relax and/or eliminate all the tarrifs on imported beef (could have been lamb too) from Australia in the next 15 years?

Cowman, one of the biggest problems that plagues the beef industry is a lack of consistency in the product. Take any steak from the bigger grocery chains, cook them the same way i.e. barbequed and you will have a difference in product - guaranteed. The industry has made great strides towards strengthening consistency and in time I'm sure there will be great quality and consistency across the board.

Nothing beats a good steak on the barbeque, except for maybe a great lamb chop, and we can pride ourselves on the product we do produce.

As grassfarmer, rpkaiser and some of the others who have learned about direct marketing, can attest to is what keeps customers coming back is that they get to know you and your products and can be assured that from one batch to the next the consistency and the quality will be there.

Now, where they really need to get some consistency is in the cured/smoked pork products like bacon and ham. You can buy the same brand of bacon or ham on separate occasions and it will never be the same. One time it will be pretty good and the next time it will be too salty to eat. Does anyone have an explanation for what the difference might be as I would really like to know. I don't want to eliminate buying them occasionally, but I am getting more and more leery about it because of the inconsistency. Thanks.

[grassfarmer]

Cakadu, I've read that one in four steaks in North America gives the consumer a dissapointing experience. That's quite a high percentage given the high cost of steaks in the stores.
I'm constantly dissapointed with the pork and chicken that we buy from the stores - much of it seems lean, tough and bland. Beef has a consistency problem but so have our competitors.

[cowman]

grassfarmer: No I haven't had any New Zealand beef...thought I was buying some once but it turned out to be trimmed A3 beef they were advertizing as New Zealand...at Safeway.
Actually, whenever possible I buy products made in Canada? I figure why not help out the home team?
I will note a fairly consistant steak can be bought at Costco? I've never had a bad one there.
My nephew has a bar and grill in Thailand. He says you can't buy a decent steak there. It is all either local beef or mostly Australian...the tourists prefer the chicken!

[cowman]

Oh and one more thing grassfarmer...what is the makeup of the New Zealand herd? I remember reading an article where they liked to raise a lot of dairy calves for the export market.

[grassfarmer]

The makeup of their herd is simple Cowman, Angus and Hereford genetics predominate but as you say they raise dairy bulls for export although this is for a different market and is not the high quality grassfed beef you will buy as a steak at a resteraunt anywhere.