AUSTRALIAN Beef Association executive officer David Byard has questioned the AusMeat meat grading method.
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Mr Byard said AusMeat was a joint venture between Meat and Livestock Australia and the processors.
"Part of their brief is establishing grading language and Meat Standards Australia is the name of this grading program," Mr Byard said.
"Meat sold in the shops now, may merely have the label MSA on it, no stars or grades or 'language'."
Mr Byard said that the Australian "language" was supposed to relate to the following definitions of grading:
●Y, no permanent teeth up to 18-month-old.
●YG, 2 permanent teeth after 30 months of age.
●YP, 4 permanent teeth up to 36 months of age.
●PR, 7 permanent teeth up to 42 months of age.
●A, 8 permanent teeth and 48 months any age.
"The problem is that the 'A' letter usually indicates first-class or top-grade in the real world, but is used on the oldest category of meat in Australia," Mr Byard said.
"One has to question whether this was intentionally meant to be misleading — it throws into question the quality of meat promoted in Australia as 'A-grade quality' meat.
"In the US, it is acknowledged that maturity of the beef animal has a direct effect on the tenderness of that beef.
"One would expect that this should be a worldwide standard, especially from a developed country like Australia, where we need our overseas markets to take the majority of the beef slaughtered in Australia.
"As cattle mature, their meat becomes progressively tougher and to account for the effects of ageing on beef tenderness, the evaluation of carcass maturity is integral to the formula for grading.
"To determine meat quality in the USA, there are five maturity groupings designed from A (nine to 30 months) through to E (more than 96 months).
"Unless Australian grassfed producers can get their act together, support the restructure of their representative organisation, and take control of their own industry with a strong, united vote, then we will see beef consumption fall even further due to inconsistency of the product.
"The fact is that chicken and other meats continue to get an increasing share of the protein dollar market, is in large part due to the inconsistency of the guarantee of beef eating quality."
