Prime_Time_winter_2019

The Beef with the Best Team BY HANNAH JOHLMAN, FREELANCE WRITER

T he American Akaushi Association (AAA) has come a long way since its inception in 2010. “Twelve years ago, nobody knew what Akaushi was,” says Ronald Beeman, Heart-

“It gives the buyer confidence that when [they] buy an animal, it has been verified through the American Akaushi Associa- tion,” Beeman says. “It’s really important, buying with confidence.” According to Beeman, the

Brand ® Beef chairman. “We’re re- ally fortunate that as we grow our business, the demand for Akaushi beef grows. Once people get it, they love it and want more of it.” Thanks to such a close partner- ship with AAA, Beeman explains,

Caviness family of Caviness Beef Packers has been instrumental in HeartBrand’s growth over the past nine years of their partner- ship. Looking ahead, Beeman says

2018 CONVENTION

HeartBrand Beef has grown the Certified Akaushi Beef program more than 25 per- cent each year for the last 10 years. The purpose of Certified Akaushi Beef was to identify and market Akaushi genetics through DNA verification, rather than using phenotype to assess animals for harvest. “We want to take it a step further – and not just by hide color. We want to geneti- cally verify 50-percent-or-greater Akaushi calves going into our program,” he says. “We are the new [Certified Angus Beef ® ].” DNA verification is important to let cus- tomers know exactly what they are getting when they purchase Akaushi beef, whether it is half-blood or fullblood Akaushi, which is DNA-certified back to the original cattle from Japan.

the international market for Akaushi beef is continuing to grow as HeartBrand ex- ports beef to Taiwan, China and other countries. “Our goal is to continue to grow our busi- ness around 20 percent every year,” he says. At only one-third of the way through the current fiscal year, Beeman says Heart- Brand is already in excess of that growth. The association grows as HeartBrand grows, with more than 10,000 registered fullblood animals to date. Beeman recalls that back in 2010, the AAA had one mem- ber – HeartBrand Beef – and today there are more than 600 members. “We have a very active membership,” he says. “We have people who join both ways; people who hear about the cattle 

Ronald Beeman addresses the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Akaushi Association.

Janie and Bubba Bain have served the Akaushi Association since its inception in 2010.

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

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