Wyo. Code R. 010-0011-2
Lean Beef Committee
Chapter 2: Premium Beef Program
Effective Date: 09/16/1987 to Current
Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 010.0011.2.09161987
The Wyoming Lean Beef Committee will issue licenses for Wyoming Premium Beef in accordance with the following conditions and regulations as prescribed and authorized by Wyoming Statutes 11-40-103, 11-40-104, and 11-40-108.
All cattle qualifying for Wyoming Premium Beef shall meet the following standards:
(a) They shall graze the summer before slaughter in Wyoming. For purposes of these- standards cattle are deemed to be living within Wyoming even though the cattle are grazed outside Wyoming if:
(i) They have free access to land within Wyoming or
(ii) They are in a pasture located not more than twenty-five (25) miles from the Wyoming border and the owner of the cattle is a Wyoming resident who physically resides within Wyoming and has his principal place of business in Wyoming.
(b) They shall have a hot carcass weight of at least five hundred fifty (550) but not more than eight hundred (800) pounds.
(c) Only retail cuts from carcasses with a USDA quality grade of Choice or equivalent and a yield grade of 2 or 3 qualify for Wyoming Premium Beef. Fat trim on retail cuts shall not exceed 1/4 or an inch when sold.
(d) Carcasses shall be electrically stimulated within one (1) hour after stunning.
(e) They shall not exceed thirty-six (36) months of age at the time of slaughter.
(f) They shall not have been given any steroids (synthetic or natural) or any other growth promoting hormone. This regulation shall not be construed to prohibit the use of parasiticides.
(g) They shall not have been given any subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics. This standard shall not be construed as prohibiting the use of therapeutic levels of any antibiotic for therapeutic purposes. The practice of feeding antibiotics to calves for up to 10 days at weaning or during periods of stress for the control of shipping fever and other diseases shall be deemed a therapeutic practice. There shall be strict compliance with approved withdrawal periods for all antibiotics.
(h) Ground beef shall meet all standards as established in above paragraphs (a),(b),(c),(f) and (g)Carcasses from animals that exceed 36 months of age can be used for ground beef but shall not under any circumstances be marketed as wholesale or retail cuts.
Any person or entity receiving a license to market Wyoming Premium Beef and use the label, trademark or trade name 'Wyoming Premium Beef' shall:
(a) Pay an annual licensing fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00)
(b) Pay an additional annual licensing fee of one thousand dollars ($1000.00) for each state or fraction thereof for which the licensee has obtained a geographically exclusive license.
(c) Agree to pay the royalty described in section 5.
(d) Agree to pay any additional royalty that may be established to support advertising and promotion programs.
(e) Agree to abide by standards established for Wyoming Premium Beef and to market no beef as Wyoming Premium Beef that fails to meet the standards.
(f) Agree to abide by applicable state and federal standards relating to public health and the slaughtering and preparation of meat for sale.
(g) Agree to abide by other terms as deemed appropriate by the Wyoming Lean Beef Committee. These terms will be agreed upon at the time the license is issued.
(a) The Wyoming Lean Beef Committee reserves the right to reject, restrict, accept, or accept in part any application for a license to market Wyoming Premium Beef. The following criteria may be considered in selection of applicants and awarding of licenses:
(i) Financial strength of the applicant;
(ii) Previous marketing expertise and specific proposed marketing plan including acquisition and processing of carcasses;
(iii) Prior experience of the applicant in relevant businesses;
(iv) Plan for ensuring adherence to all Wyoming Premium Beef standards;
(v) The access of the applicant to a supply of Wyoming Premium beef.
(b) The committee may choose to award a geographically exclusive license for no more than twenty (20) of the states of the United States except that an exclusive license shall not prohibit licensees from selling Wyoming Premium Beef directly to residents of the geographic area if the sales are for consumption and not for resale and are made within Wyoming or in response to mail or telephone advertisement in a publication of national circulation. Further no geographically exclusive license shall include the State of Wyoming. The Wyoming Lean Beef Committee reserves the right to deny, revoke, suspend or limit the license of anyone who:
(i) Fails to abide by the promulgated standards of the Wyoming Premium Beef program or any other terms of the license;
(ii) Is convicted of violating the public health laws of the United States or any state;
(iii) Is convicted or has been convicted of any felony;
(iv) Willfully or unintentionally but repeatedly markets beef as Wyoming Premium Beef which does not meet the quality standards for Wyoming Premium Beef.
Until January 1, 1992 licensees shall pay to the State of Wyoming an annual royalty of one dollar ($1.00) per head. Thereafter the committee shall reset the annual royalty which shall not be less than fifty cents (50 cents) per head and riot more than five dollars ($5.00) per head.
Submission of proposals to obtain a license will be received by the Wyoming Lean Beef Committee, Box 3354 University, Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071. Questions concerning the Premium Beef program may be directed to (307) 766-3667. Each submission should contain the following information:
(a) Name of individual(s) or name and title of company or corporate officers.
(b) Evidence of the required financial ability to conduct the proposed program.
(c) Expertise and previous experience of proposed participants.
(d) Detailed plan of proposed program including but not limited to predicted availability and acquisition of the product, processing and distribution, promotion and marketing efforts.
(e) Detailed plan for enforcement of promulgated standards of the Wyoming Premium Beef program.
(f) Any other such information that may assist the committee during the selection and awarding process.