Mcdonalds

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Actually, a very good family friend is best friends with the president of a Alberta Cattle Assoc... I talked with him once, and he stated that Costco is one of the best places for consumers to get top quality beef.

I am not sure your point about Costco is valid... Just wondering, you use to work for Costco? However I can tell you I got my comments from one of the big guys in the industry.

Costco isn't cheaper in price, but you get higher grade and better cuts compared to places like safeway (local grocery stores). I myself enjoy a good cut of beef (love my striploin), and do buy from Costco.

yup, this is true. once again the post you were replying to was posting USA related articles and this is the biggest cause of confusion as the Canadian regulations are way different that US regulations, and the fact most of the articles are older befor the increased regs in the US. Costco Canada uses AAA canadian beef.

as for the feedlot, vs ranch, vs hobby farmer. 99% of beef you used to buy in the stores has spent time at a feed lot, although this has been changing over the last 20 years to a lower percentage, the majority is feed lot cattle. I used to work in a feed lot as a summer job when I was younger and I worked on the family ranch(es) (out of my 10 aunts and uncles 7 of them are still ranchers)

feed lots are not where the cattle grow up, but a stopping point befor getting shipped to the slaughter house. normaly the cattle spend less than a month there, at most if the market is slow 3 months. now in a real bad year maybe a bit longer waiting for the price of beef to rise so they can make a profit. think of them as a holding point till there is enough to make shipping reasonable or till the numbers are sufficient to fill orders.

hobby farmers who run insanly low populations of cattle per acre, usaly justify there proces with value added services. for eg. they have higher prices but throw in cutting, wrapping and delivery, or custom cutting. maybe curing/smoking, sausage ect. or only sell to small butcher shops.


Steve

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Actually, a very good family friend is best friends with the president of a Alberta Cattle Assoc... I talked with him once, and he stated that Costco is one of the best places for consumers to get top quality beef.

I am not sure your point about Costco is valid... Just wondering, you use to work for Costco? However I can tell you I got my comments from one of the big guys in the industry.

Costco isn't cheaper in price, but you get higher grade and better cuts compared to places like safeway (local grocery stores). I myself enjoy a good cut of beef (love my striploin), and do buy from Costco.

Well, Costco sells a lot of meat, and I am sure your friend would defend them. But you should ask him, if any Costco meat is needled and/or injected. Or ask the meat manager at your Costco. It is not such a big secret anymore. It is my understanding that they were the first in Canada to sell needled meat, although others now do it, too.

Costco, Safeway, etc, buy all kinds of meat (and different grades), and mostly from the same sources. It's what happens in the meat plant and how it is packaged and sold as that matters most. I already gave you some sources that explains that further, and you can google more for yourself if you wish.

I am also not saying there is anything illegal or unsafe about it. Our CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is probably the most strict and thorough in the world (certainly better than the US). It is just that consumers are not always aware of what they are buying at the meat counter. Cheap is not necessarily better. And Costco is certainly cheaper than Safeway, in BC at least, and likely in Alberta, too.

At the risk of opening up another related controversy, meat repackaging and redating is another not so uncommon practice with some stores. You won't get any to admit that, of course. But there have been a few big exposes by the media with hidden cameras, etc, on some well known large chains. Again, it is not necessarily illegal, as long as the meat is not tainted. It is usually very much against the policy of the chain, but there are individual meat mangers who might do it (to get their bonuses, or not get fired for missing their plans with sales and shrinkage) and a blind eye might be turned to that from time to time.

And no, I have never worked for Costco.

And yes, sorry, we are off topic. I will say again, then, that McDonald's has very high food quality and food safety standards. And no, I didn't work for them either.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

At the risk of opening up another related controversy, meat repackaging and redating is another not so uncommon practice with some stores. You won't get any to admit that, of course. But there have been a few big exposes by the media with hidden cameras, etc, on some well known large chains. Again, it is not necessarily illegal, as long as the meat is not tainted. It is usually very much against the policy of the chain, but there are individual meat mangers who might do it (to get their bonuses, or not get fired for missing their plans with sales and shrinkage) and a blind eye might be turned to that from time to time.

And before anyone asks for some backup to that, here is one news story. And I know there have been others, but you can google for them yourself.
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l...shColumbiaHome

Enough of this now,.... I think I should just stick to reefing topics....