CALF_News_February_March_2020

8 CALF News • February | March 2020 • www.calfnews.net I n its innovative efforts to expand production, processing and market- ing of premium beef, One World Beef (OWB) Packers in Califor- nia’s Imperial Valley recently received European Union (EU) certification for its assortment of natural, hormone-free beef products. The EU authorization will allow the Brawley, Calif., packer to send beef pro- cessed at its facility to European ports, which have historically been hesitant to accept foreign beef. “This EU certification allows our organization to enter one of the largest fresh beef import markets in the world,” says Eric Brandt, OWB president and CEO.“The EU now, in addition to our existing export routes to Asia and South America, bolsters our ability to serve our growing customer base in a period when U.S. beef exports are at an all-time high.” CALF News has followed the progress of the Brandt family operations. Brandt’s family pioneered cattle feeding in the Imperial Valley back in the 1940s. It led a consortium that founded Brawley Beef and built the pack- inghouse in 2001. They needed a regional packer to handle their finished cattle. National Beef later bought Brawley Beef and operated the plant for several years. When National pulled the plug in 2014, One World Beef, led by Brandt, who had enthusiastically developed the natural beef market, sought to acquire and re-open the plant. One World bought the plant in 2016 and began working to obtain the barrage of permits necessary for California- based agricultural ventures and federally regulated food production firms. It took more than two years to obtain local, state and federal operating permits. Now, with more than 625 employees at the facility in Brawley alone, and a major remodeling, the company is selling beef to numerous countries, including China and Japan and now the EU. EU Exports Begin From One World Beef By Larry Stalcup Contributing Editor Eric Brandt continues to strive for more Brawley and Imperial Valley beef processing through One World Beef Packers. Photo courtesy OWB Among the OWB brands is Brandt Beef, which are strictly no-hormone, beta-agonist-free, all-natural cattle. Imperial Valley Ranches, another hor- mone and beta-agonist-free brand, is for cattle from other ranches. Baja Beef is another brand featuring Desert Southwest or Mexican cattle. OWB acts as the exclusive agent to export all of these products to restau- rants, chefs and distributors throughout the world. Overall, breeds and programs pro- cessed and marketed through OWB include Angus, halal, Holstein, organic and Wagyu. OWB also handles pre- mium veal products. OWB’s continued efforts to grow and expand its brands is a plus for the Impe- rial Valley cattle feeding industry that has been so vital toWestern agriculture.  COVER STORY: TRADE Beef from the Imperial Valley’s traditional Holstein fed cattle will likely end up in European circles thanks to One World Beef’s certificate to sell beef to the EU.