Research update.

Abstract

Research is the foundation on which the industry’s safety initiatives have been built. The Beef Industry Safety Summit has become a premier forum to highlight some of the latest advances and their application within industry. The beef industry, through The Beef Checkoff, has devoted more than $28 million to beef safety research since 1993, according to Bo Reagan, senior vice president of research, education and innovation for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). That investment has been leveraged with private industry dollars of approximately $350 million per year in development and implementation of safety practices. During the 2009 Beef Industry Safety Summit, researchers and private industry representatives summarized results from studies that will advance the industry’s understanding of beef safety risks, and also highlighted advancements in beef safety interventions. The Beef Industry Safety Summit is funded in part by the Beef Checkoff and coordinated by the Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) and NCBA, and continues the tradition of industry‐driven efforts to improve beef safety. An overview of the entire summit is available in an executive summary that can be accessed at www.bifsco.org. This report summarizes the research presented in more detail. Additional beef safety research information can also be accessed at www.beefresearch.org. Posters for each research summary presentation can be found on both Web sites.