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FAQsQuestion: How is Snake River Farms American Kobe beef different from other beef?Answer: Snake River Farms Kobe is a product resulting from a combination of a superior breed of cattle, and special attention placed on care and feed management. The cattle breed that makes Snake River Farms Kobe special comes from Japan, and is called Wagyu (Wa-Gu). This particular breed of cattle was developed in Japan for its quality flavor and tenderness. This combination of special care and feeding, along with a unique breed of cattle, make Snake River Farms Kobe the best steak that you will ever taste. Snake River Farms Kobe does not only taste better, but it is also healthier. Our beef is significantly lower in saturated fat and is completely free of both hormones and antibiotic residues. Question: What quality grade is Snake River Farms American Kobe beef? Answer: While “Prime” is the highest USDA grade for beef, it does not justly define the quality of Snake River Farms Kobe. To accurately rate our product we must use a combination of Japanese and U.S. grading systems. The Japanese system uses several marbling scores higher than USDA Prime with more stringent regulations on lean color. Marbling is achieved when finely textured flecks of fat punctuate the lean red muscle. Exceptional marbling creates Snake River Farms Kobe’s unmatched flavor and tenderness. Question: Why is Snake River Farms American Kobe beef more expensive than commodity beef? Answer: Snake River Farms Kobe may be more expensive than the beef in your local market, but is only a fraction of the cost of comparable product in Japan. The expense of developing the finest quality genetics and feeding our cattle for an extended length of time cause our products to be more expensive, but Snake River Farms Kobe is unmatched in it’s value for the quality of product. Question: What is the history of Snake River Farms? Answer: Snake River Farms® was originally formed by Bob Rebholtz as a subsidiary of Agri Beef Co. (Boise, ID.), a family ranching and cattle-feeding company since 1978. While traveling to Japan, Rebholtz became intrigued with the possibility of raising the world famous Kobe beef (Wagyu) cattle in the United States. Snake River Farms was established in the early 90's to do just that and successfully innovated the American-Style Kobe Beef segment in the US and around the world. In 2003, Agri Beef Co. purchased its own beef processing plant in the heart of the Northwest, completing the company's vision for total quality control over every step of beef production. AB Foods, LLC was created in 2006 as the sales and marketing arm for the company's beef brands and Snake River Farms now proudly sits as the company's flagship brand, epitomizing the highest-quality and consistency delivered by this one of a kind family-owned company. Question: What is special about the feeding program of Snake River Farms American Kobe beef? (Do you use animal by-products in feeding?) Answer: Snake River Farms Kobe uses a feeding program that adheres to the heritage-steeped Japanese long-feeding program. We feed our cattle four times longer than average cattle are fed in order to develop the superior flavor and tenderness in our beef. Snake River Farms feeds only the finest ingredients, including rich barley, and golden wheat straw. We absolutely reject the use of animal by-products in our feeding program. Our beef is also completely free from hormones and antibiotic residues. Question: When were Japanese Wagyu cattle first brought to the United States? Answer: In 1976, four Wagyu bulls were given as a gift to a Hawaiian from the Emperor of Japan. At that time these were the only Wagyu to leave Japan. The Japanese people consider Wagyu national treasures, and it was considered smuggling out defense secrets to export these cattle. In 1993 a few Japanese farmers had begun to export Wagyu from Japan, even though their compatriots held them in great disdain. Snake River Farms Kobe has been a pioneer of this breed of cattle to create the best quality beef outside of Japan. Question: What does the name Wagyu mean? Answer: The name Wagyu refers to all Japanese beef cattle (“Wa” meaning Japanese-style and “gyu” meaning cattle,) while Kobe indicates the area in Japan where these cattle originate. Animal Welfare Snake River Farms and all of its affilliated companies adhere to strict animal welfare policies ensuring proper care and handling of all animals throughout its supply chain. The company does not tolerate the abuse or mistreatment of animals for any reason. The program encompasses all company locations and all phases of production to provide consistent and proactive standards for animal welfare. These animal welfare standards were developed in collaboration with leading industry experts and are continually updated to reflect the most proactive policies. |
