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U.S. veal producers concerned about import quality

The President of the American Veal Association says he is concerned about veal imports from the European Union.  Dale Bakke tells Brownfield the EU’s definition of veal is different, which explains why American veal is a higher-quality product.  “American veal is raised for 20-22 weeks, about 475 to 500 pounds.  They’re raised on a diet primarily of milk.  They’re also getting generally 100-150 pounds of grain where European veal is raised for 26 up to 52 weeks of age, so it’s a significantly older animal and plus they’re fed on a diet primarily of grain.”

Bakke also says EU veal producers are using animal health products that are illegal in the U.S.  “They have probably at least five products that we’ve been able to identify that they’re able to use in veal production that aren’t used in any animal for human consumption here in the U.S.  One is colastin.  Another one is clenbuterol, so from a food safety standpoint, we have concern on that.”

Bakke says consumers need to ask their grocers for American veal or they might not get it.

The American Veal Association leader says more than 700 U.S. veal producers have also made more than 50-million dollars’ worth of facility investments in the past decade to improve production practices by raising calves in group pens instead of individually.

Bakke talked to Brownfield during the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting conference in Kansas City.