Contact:
Dane VandenBerg
202-466-7246
dane@turnerstrategies.com
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12
8:00AM ET
Premium Gold Angus, ViaGen, to Provide Consumers
with Industry’s Only “DNA Certified” Angus Beef
Agreement gives Premium Gold access to ViaGen’s AnguSure™ breed
identification process for detecting genetics unique to Angus beef
Austin, Texas – ViaGen Inc., a global provider of high quality livestock genetics, and
Premium Gold Angus Beef (PGAB), one of the country’s largest and oldest branded
Angus beef companies, signed an international agreement today to begin DNA testing its
beef to verify its genetic relationship with registered Angus cattle.
While Angus beef is widely regarded as the gold standard for taste, the Angus content of
much of the beef sold as Angus cannot be guaranteed, given that breed composition is
usually estimated by coat color and confirmation.
ViaGen and PGAB, which last year had $150 million in sales, are setting a new standard
for consumers by subjecting PGAB beef to ViaGen’s AnguSure™ DNA verification
process. PGAB is providing ViaGen with hair samples taken from live animals and with
meat samples from carcasses before sale. AnguSure utilizes ViaGen’s patented genetic
breed identification technology and can quantify the amount of Angus genetics in any
cattle DNA sample. The test measures the amount of genetic similarity between the
animal sampled and the top 152 registered Angus bulls by number of calves sired in the
last decade.
ViaGen will also test the samples with its Inducator™ test to identify Brahman genetics.
Brahman influence is often associated with an increase in toughness and decrease in
consumer acceptance.
“ViaGen has brought beef genomics to the point where both producers and consumers
can now easily enjoy the benefits of DNA-certified breed verification,” said Sara Davis,
President of ViaGen. “PGAB already consistently provides beef of the highest quality.
We’re excited our technology will confirm PGAB’s commitment to excellence in a way
the consumer can see on every label. Genetic monitoring and assurance programs give
PGAB a way to increase its market by taking quality assurance to a level previously
unknown in the meat industry.”
“We want to give consumers confidence that when they buy Angus, they get Angus,”
said long-time Angus breeder and PGAB founder Dwight Hartley. “Our partnership with
ViaGen, coupled with our highly selective breeding and buying programs will leave no
doubt that when you purchase PGAB, you’re getting the only beef available genetically
certified to be delicious.”
The AnguSure and Inducator tests were released earlier this year, following an initial
study of branded beef. Since that time, ViaGen sampled additional retail branded and
unbranded beef in Central Texas. Variation in the amount of Angus and Brahman
genetics varied across sampling time and across brands. While no single brand had 100%
pass rate across time, the pass rate within each individual time period ranged from 50-100
percent. Overall, the pass rate of the five Angus brands ranged from 63-83 percent
(illustrated in attached figure).
About ViaGen
Based in Austin Texas, ViaGen is a global provider of advanced livestock genetic
technologies whose unmatched expertise in animal genomics is setting new
standards for high quality animals and high quality consumer products. ViaGen’s
industry-leading compilation of livestock genomic data and patented breeding and
product identification processes are extensively used in the cattle, pork and seafood
industries to obtain verifiably superior genetics. ViaGen makes livestock genetic
technology affordable and accessible to producers throughout the livestock
production chain, from farm to fork, offering new opportunities for business to
build revenue and for consumers to enjoy unprecedented quality and safety.
About Premium Gold Angus Beef:
Premium Gold Angus Beef (PGAB) is simply the most delicious offered in the
marketplace today. The company was founded by a concerned Angus breeder who
felt discriminating consumers should be provided an opportunity to obtain
consistently excellent beef. PGAB has made a conscious decision to provide the
highest quality beef by ensuring that it originates from the best Angus genetics.
This same desire for quality carries over to the Premium Gold Berkshire pork and
lamb products. The primary goal of Premium Gold is to offer consumers branded
beef, pork and lamb which can be trusted to provide superior taste and tenderness
every time.
Retail Beef Testing
Pass Both
100%
80%
Fail Both
60%
Fail Inducator
40%
Fail AnguSure
20%
0%
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Steaks purchased from retail outlets in Central Texas over an 18 month period were
tested with AnguSure™ and Inducator™ beef breed identification tests. To pass
AnguSure, meat had to have at least 50% of its genetics in common with top registered
Angus animals. To pass Inducator, the meat could contain a maximum of 25% Brahman
genetics.