Tyson Foods to use DNA technology to trace beef back to original source

Tyson Foods announced Thursday (March 14) a program that uses DNA technology to trace beef products backs to the animal of origin for its Open Prairie Natural Angus Beef production.

This move is aimed at giving consumers transparency throughout the supply chain, according to Kent Harrison, vice president of marketing and premium programs at Tyson Fresh Meats.

“Through DNA TraceBack, we’re providing our retail and foodservice customers with scientific evidence that they’re getting high quality, natural beef from animals raised the way we promised,” he added.

The patented DNA tracking process is intended to assure customers that the Open Prairie beef products they buy were sourced from ranches where the cattle were raised to meet specific requirements, such as no antibiotics ever and no added hormones.

Cattle for the program are raised by independent ranchers, mostly from Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Nebraska. The beef is produced by the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Lexington, Neb.

“We’re excited to partner with an industry leader like Tyson Fresh Meats,” Kent Partida, vice president of North American business development for IdentiGEN, said. “Our DNA TraceBack program is the most advanced meat traceability system available and uses nature’s barcode to link meat from the point of sale back to the source. It will enable retail and foodservice customers of Open Prairie beef to confidently share their traceability story with shoppers.”