AMS provides certification of meat and poultry carcasses for a number of marketing programs that make claims concerning breed and carcass characteristics. These characteristics go beyond the requirements for official USDA grades. Certification is often the basis for approval of meat and poultry product labels making a variety of marketing claims. The carcass certification programs vary widely in the level of claims for “quality”, in order to provide program originators and purchasers of certified products with the best service.
How do I get a Program?
- Procedure for Marketing Program Specification Development and Approval (SP1) (pdf)
- USDA Beef Carcass Certification Programs Livestock, Poultry & Seed Program Policy (SP2) (pdf)
Certified Meat and Poultry Programs
Beef Programs
Lamb Programs
- View the Marcho Farms Premium Lamb Program
- Certified Lamb Program (pdf)
- Certified California Lamb (pdf)
- Comparison of Certified Lamb Programs (pdf)
Pork Programs
Poultry Programs
Veal Programs
- View the Certified Nature Veal Program
- View the Marcho Farms Premium Veal
- Comparison of Certified Veal Programs (pdf)
- Marcho Farms Veal Schedule (pdf)
Contact
Meat Programs: Darrell Dowd at Darrell.dowd@usda.gov or (720) 409-9490
Poultry Programs: Richard Lawson at Richard.Lawson@usda.gov or (202) 690-3166