Angus beef is essentially a mass-market designation given to cattle who qualify for the 61 branded Black Angus beef programs certified by the USDA — that’s 70% of all the beef programs in America. Certified Hereford Beef is the only official brand of Hereford beef owned and raised by 7,000 local Hereford ranchers and farmers and also gives back to the local community. Let’s take a closer look at what makes our beef so special: Breed Integrity Unlike Black Angus beef, there is only one official brand of Hereford beef owned and raised by 7,000 local Hereford farmers and ranchers throughout the United States— Certified Hereford Beef. All the cattle in our program are raised by our local Hereford farmers and ranchers. That gives us greater control over the genetics of the Hereford cattle that go into the program as well as the high quality of the beef produced by it. High Standards The Certified Hereford Beef program holds cattle to high standards and specifications — each Hereford animal must meet 10 strict, science-based live and carcass specifications and is registered, certified and graded by the USDA as Upper 2/3 USDA Choice beef and higher. Bolder Taste The strict Certified Hereford Beef requirements for genetics and quality control are what give our products their bold taste. A 2019 comparative study by Kansas State University* confirmed that consumers preferred Certified Hereford Beef products for juiciness, tenderness, flavor and overall liking. A comprehensive 1991 cattle breed study by Colorado State University also showed that Certified Hereford Beef was superior in every category, including flavor and tenderness. Natural Sustainability The natural efficiency of cattle in the Certified Hereford Beef program also helps make them more sustainable than other cattle breeds such as Black Angus.** *Kansas State University, Consumer evaluation of Certified Hereford Beef in comparison to USDA Choice, Prime, and Upper 2/3 Choice beef from black-hided cattle, April 2019 **Bedwell, S. (2017, August). The Efficiency Experts. Hereford.org. https://hereford.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/hereford_efficency_report.pdf