Members of the media joined Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on a tour of Iowa Premium near Tama, Iowa on Wednesday Morning. In an uncertain trading climate, it is places like these that will help keep Iowa?s agriculture production marketable at home and around the globe.
Iowa Premium processes family-raised Black Angus cattle in Tama, Iowa. They process 1,100 animals per day. That is roughly one percent of the daily slaughter numbers in the United States. CEO Jeffery Johnson says the company buys from roughly 1,400 producers in the Midwest.
Johnson says that Iowa Premium?s product is approved for sale in the European Union, and they are going to Europe to try and open some markets for this unique Iowa product.
Johnson says that marketing their product is about sharing the story of how Iowa Premium?s beef is handled from farm to store. Consumers are wanting to have that connection to the journey their food is taking.
Johnson says that while they are not out to ?police their producers?, they do expect a certain standard to be maintained.
Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says that having that story to tell consumers, internationally and domestically, is something that all Iowa commodity groups can use to help drive the demand for Iowa products in uncertain trade climates.
