South Dakota governor signs law creating beef marketing program

South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds hopes people across the nation and the world will soon choose to pay more for a steak that carries a South Dakota seal of approval.

When they take that steak home, they can use a code on the label to find out on the Internet where the meat came from, even the ranch where a calf was born. Electronic records would track the critter from birth, through a feedlot and to a meatpacking plant.

‘‘We believe consumers will step forward and they will be paying premium prices for this premium product,” Rounds said.

A week after the Legislature passed a bill to start the South Dakota Certified Beef Program, the governor signed the measure into law. The program is the result of an idea Rounds first proposed when he campaigned for governor in 2002.

Various organizations have promoted high quality beef, but South Dakota officials said the program marks the first time a state government has put its seal of approval on beef products.

By Chet Brokaw Associated Press Writer

Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/03/09/newsnationworld/hjjejgjajifahe.txt