Atlanta-distributed beef to appear on U.S. Olympic athlete's training table

<p>An Omaha meatpacking company is hoping its deal to supply the Olympics with U.S. beef will open European markets to Midwest beef producers.</p><p>The Greater Omaha Packing Co. announced Monday that it has struck a deal with the Denver-based supplier of the U.S. Olympic training centers.</p><p>Hormone-free beef processed by the company also has been ordered by the distributor that will supply food vendors at the Olympic Games in Athens later this month, the company announced.</p><p>"We will be sending a message that American beef is among the finest in the world," said Henry Davis, the company's chief executive officer. "It is a great opportunity to showcase high-quality beef from Nebraska to an international audience."</p><p>About 18 months ago, Greater Omaha Packing Co. became one of only a handful of U.S. processing plants certified to process hormone-free beef to meet Europe's stringent requirements.</p><p>Greater Omaha's distributor, Atlanta-based Meta Foods LLC, believes the chance to supply Olympic patrons will open opportunities to supply mostly upscale restaurants and hotels in Germany, England and Belgium, Davis said.</p><p>"This is a breakthrough for our company, the state of Nebraska and Midwest cattle producers," he said.</p><p>Since 1989, European countries have maintain a strict ban on beef from cattle raised on growth hormones _ which includes most of the beef produced in the United States. The European Union also requires rigid documentation of cattle from birth to processing to certify that cattle are hormone-free before accepting it for human consumption.</p><p>Greater Omaha Packing Co., the largest U.S. meatpacking plant certified to process meat for export to Europe, processes 2 million pounds of beef a day. About 5 percent of that is exported to other countries, including members of the European Union, Mexico, Canada and Indonesia, Davis said.</p><p>That's a drop from the company's high a few years ago of 17 percent production going to foreign markets, Davis said. Greater Omaha and other processors have seen a sharp drop in export sales since the discovery late last year of the United States' first case of mad cow disease. While no other cases have been discovered since, about 50 countries have maintained bans of imports of U.S. beef.</p><p>However, the European Union took no action to toughen its ban on U.S. beef following the mad cow scare, meaning its markets are still open to American-produced beef as long as it is hormone-free, said Angelo Fili, executive vice president with Greater Omaha.</p><p>The news of Greater Omaha's beef shipments to Athens this summer is not just good for the company, but for Nebraska producers, state officials said. Of the 11 farms, ranches and feedlots listed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as certified to provide hormone-free cattle, seven are in Nebraska.</p><p>"Anytime a new door is opened, it's positive for our producers, particularly at a time when many countries remain closed to U.S. beef," said Gov. Mike Johanns, who was on hand for the announcement Monday.</p><p>Davis said his plant, which employs about 700 people, has already shipped about 80,000 pounds of beef destined for Greece.</p><p>____</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>Greater Omaha Packing Co.: www.greateromaha.com</p>

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