Former Creekstone CEO predicts DNA-traced beef on horizon

(MEATPOULTRY.com, September 04, 2008)

by Joel Crews

NORTHFIELD, ILL. – John Stewart, the former, high-profile head of Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, who now champions DNA-traceable pork as chief executive of Nature’s Premium Brand, says the same technology will be coming to a beef processor near you.

Stewart, who boldly battled the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow Creekstone to test 100% of its cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy to protect its export business, says DNA-based traceability is one way for U.S. beef exporters to begin gaining back customers in Korea and Japan.

"We fought very hard with USDA to get our BSE testing and that would have certainly been a milestone. I think the DNA traceback on beef is something that would certainly be of interest in Asia," Stewart says.

"If I had DNA traceback beef , I think that I could probably sell all my production to Korea and Japan," he says, hinting that the rollout with a processor will occur fairly soon.

"I would say that there is a high likelihood that that’s going to happen here within the next year. I think it’s very possible."

He adds: I don’t know if it will be Creekstone or some other brand, but I think there will be somebody to step up in the near future … with some DNA traceback on beef."

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