THE BRAND THAT PAYS^®

Every Certified Angus Beef ^® steak starts with the decisions made during breeding season. It takes years for the result of a mating to hit the packer, where the carcass is graded and a score card is given. For many cattlemen and women, the days carcass data hits their inbox are highly anticipated. Especially when they see the result of quality grid premiums adding black to their bottom line.

Supplying more than five million head of cattle that qualify for Certified Angus Beef takes intention. The cattle and the land depend on you, just as you depend on them for your livelihood. From the right genetic decisions to progressive management and premium marketing, you’re able to earn the true value of the product you’re raising.

For more than 47 years, Certified Angus Beef has brought people together across the beef supply chain by focusing on education, trust and quality. Our success is only possible because of the work that starts at the ranch. Thank you!

Here, you’ll find ways to engage with the brand and realize the value in producing cattle that supply the Certified Angus Beef ^® brand.

FROM SETBACK TO SUCCESS

How Angus Became the Gold Standard in Beef

Today, Angus is leading the beef industry—but it wasn’t always this way. In the 1960s and 70s, a national push for lean meat sidelined marbling and flavor, leaving consumers with inconsistent quality and tough steaks. Angus registrations plummeted by 45%, and the breed seemed destined for decline.

Then came a turning point: one bad steak in 1975 inspired Ohio Angus breeder Harold Etling to propose a bold idea: a certification program guaranteeing premium Angus beef. From that, Certified Angus Beef was born, sparking a branded beef revolution. It wasn’t easy—USDA shut the program down within a month of selling its first pound, and the American Angus Association nearly voted to end it—but perseverance, grit and tenacity of Angus breeders seeking a better future for the breed paid off.

Since 1978, Certified Angus Beef has driven demand for Angus genetics, rewarding breeders who focus on quality and marbling. Today, Angus dominates the marketplace, and beef demand is the strongest it’s been in nearly 40 years. It’s a success story for the brand owned by the American Angus Association members.

Quality Still Pays

Despite rising supplies of high-quality beef, Angus producers continue earning strong quality premiums. Angus dominates the market, with over 72% of fed cattle being Angus-influenced, yet only 4 in 10 meet all of Certified Angus Beef’s carcass specifications.

The biggest opportunity? Cattle that fall short of the brand’s marbling requirement.

While marbling remains key, it’s not the only factor for success. Cattlemen and women should evaluate herds critically, set breeding objectives, and cull where needed. Stockmen bring immense value by objectively evaluating phenotypes, regardless of what the numbers say, and setting individual breeding objectives.

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Targeting the Brand™

For Angus breeders and commercial cattlemen who have goals of increasing their Certified Angus Beef acceptance rate, the brand created Targeting the Brand™. It helps customers identify registered Angus cattle with the genetic potential to improve brand acceptance rates. For higher goals, like Prime, place greater emphasis on Marbling and $G.

Producers who can consistently deliver cattle that hit Certified Angus Beef and Prime targets, meet branded program specifications, and perform efficiently are no longer competing in a commodity space. They are competing in a value-based marketplace, where premiums are earned, not assumed.”

To us, sustainability is two-fold: Providing valuable, science-backed education programs to ranchers and delivering on consumer expectations. Our sustainability initiatives support ranchers to continue doing their best work in cattle care and land stewardship, providing opportunities to those in the beef community while also increasing consumer trust in beef.”

COMMITTED TO CARE, BACKED BY BQA

You’re committed to caring for your cattle the right way, and that’s what Certified Angus Beef partners and consumers expect. One of the greatest concerns beef consumers have is animal welfare, and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is an easy and effective way to prove that you’re raising cattle with care. BQA verifies the work done at the ranch. That’s why our largest parter, Sysco, partnered with us to promote the shared commitment of cattlemen and women and invest in BQA trainings to address consumer concerns, reinforce trust and help ensure future beef demand.

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The best beef starts with healthy land. To help cattle producers intentionally manage their land, Certified Angus Beef partnered with Noble Research Institute to offer Land Stewardship. This free online course focuses on land management practices that improve soil health, ranch resilience and profitability.

EARN YOUR CERTIFICATE

The Working Grasslands Conservation Initiative from Certified Angus Beef and Ducks Unlimited uses voluntary programs to conserve working grasslands in the Northern Great Plains and their embedded wetland habitats and cattle and grazing operations to protect vital ecosystems. This partnership shows how beef production and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

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Putting People First

Relationships are at the heart of our business and yours. Supporting people is one of our sustainability pillars and we do that multiple ways.

1. We offer multiple next generation opportunities to support students in the beef industry. From our Colvin Scholarship Fund to animal science awards and summer internships, we’re cultivating the next generation of ranchers, chefs and beef industry professionals.
2. Beef Leaders Institute is a five-day experience immersing young Angus members in everything the breed has to offer. From the American Angus Association in Missouri to Certified Angus Beef in Ohio, attendees learn about each stakeholder in the beef supply chain through hands-on, educational outings.
3. The Rural Relief Fund supports farmers and ranchers in rural communities in times of crisis, often in the wake of natural disasters.
4. Service starts with us. That’s why the brand encourages its team to participate in community service projects, wherever they call home.