A Professor with the University of Saskatchewan says the development of consistent pork quality grading is allowing pork processors to identify and provide the cuts and quality of pork that consumers want. The report, "From Research to Results: Measuring the Impact of Pork Research in Canada," released by the University of Saskatchewan and profiled as part of a YouTube webinar, looks at the value of national swine research funded through partnerships involving Swine Innovation Porc.
Dr. Stuart Smyth, a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan and one of the authors of the report, says one project looked to address the absence of a consistent grading benchmark for categorizing pork quality.
Quote-Dr. Stuart Smyth-University of Saskatchewan:
What that meant then was that there was a difference in carcass quality grading and also in what cuts were most desirable by consumers.This project was led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada out of the Lacombe Research Centre. It focused on working with some of the processors and really went into the facilities to try and better understand what the existing pork grading system was like and if it was going to be possible to try and develop sort of a national standard in Canada.
It was able to come up with a metric that did establish a consistent grading system.It also then helped to benefit consumers because, the cuts that they were looking for or had expressed desire to use as part of their weekly grocery purchases were identified. And so that harmonization of grading and quality really helped to improve the competitiveness of the Canadian pork sector.
Dr. Smyth says through harmonized grading processors are better equipped to build consumer awareness and gauge consumer preferences and emerging trends and ensure that the products, cuts and quality that are being demanded are provided.To access the webinar search YouTube for From Research to Results: Measuring the Impact of Pork Research in Canada.
Source : Farmscape.ca