Sunset: Second in a series: people are preferring premium beef that's naturally good; Consumers concerned about taste and quality are becoming more demanding of the meat they eat

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Second in a series: people are preferring premium beef that's naturally good; Consumers concerned about taste and quality are becoming more demanding of the meat they eat

Bill Niman

An emerging trend is influencing the way food reaches your table. Because of the public's concern for safety and its desire for a better dining experience, consumers are becoming much more interested in the origins of the food they eat, especially meat.

Many people started paying increased attention to meat safety following the infamous 1993 incident in which several children in the Northwest died after eating hamburger meat infected with E-coli. The first discovered case of "mad cow" in the U.S. last December raised even more awareness. Afterward, more consumers began asking for "branded" meat products instead of buying it as a generic commodity.

Another important dynamic is the changing demographics of the food-buying population. As Baby Boomers retire, many are using their increased leisure time to make eating more of an event. They're demanding great quality and flavor in their dining experiences. Instead of opting for quick-serve, ready-to-eat meals, they tend to buy the raw ingredients to make a festive feast at home. Recently, more and more people have begun gathering family and friends around their own table to linger over restaurant quality multi-course dinners. It's sort of a return to the European eating style, if you will.

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Complementing these trends is a greater willingness to pay more for food, especially organic or naturally raised products. As defined by the USDA, organic means food raised without chemicals or pesticides at any stage of the growing process. Naturally produced food is defined by the companies using the term, so the definition varies considerably.

At Niman Ranch, it means raising animals outdoors, free of hormones and antibiotics and never feeding them meat by-products. We've learned that if people understand why they're paying more for naturally and humanely raised meat, they're willing to pay a premium. This consumer education process is ongoing.

Major supermarket chains are noting the success of less-traditional stores--such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's--and they're starting to look for ways to imitate their success. Mainstream stores are seeing that many customers (not just a few alternative culture folks in Berkeley) are demanding foods that are naturally and humanely farmed. They feel these products provide a healthier, safer and better eating experience. This consumer interest guarantees that the trend will continue.

Technology will also play an important role in the food industry, especially in source verification, as food consumers demand more accountability from producers.

One method is retinal scanning, which the beef industry is pioneering. As accurate as human fingerprints, retinal scanning will make it possible to create a record of relevant events in a steer's life. This accountability will force the meat industry to pay careful attention to the history of each individual animal; people will know where the safest and besttasting meat comes from.

A lot of the traceability technology was developed in Europe, where many markets identify the farm that raised the meat. Source verification has been there a long time, so it can certainly be done here. In a few years, the entire industry will be tracking every market animal for its entire life. At Niman Ranch, we've been tracing all aspects of our animals' lives for years.

Packaging technology will also effect what people find in their markets. Some great new processes, especially in vacuum packing, will help meat producers efficiently prepare and ship their products. I hope that the technology that increases meat's shelf life can make it possible for smaller farmers and ranchers to deliver fresh product to urban customers far from their farms.

As people better understand the benefits of buying naturally raised food, they'll demand more of it. And that's a great development for America. When farmers raise our food without drugs, hormones and chemicals, rural areas will be healthier places to live, and all of us will have wholesome, tastier food. A healthier food supply will benefit everyone.

Bill Niman is founder and chairman of California-based Niman Ranch, a network of almost 500 family owned and operated farms and ranches throughout the United States that raise beef, lamb and pork using natural, traditional methods.