US-based Country Natural Beef has seleced wher Food Comes from subsidiary IMI Global as the non-GMO project technical administrator for its new Oregon Country Beef brand.

Country Natural Beef is a consumer-driven beef marketing cooperative, which comprises 100 family ranches that includes nearly 100,000 mother cows.

Its products are sold in restaurants and retail locations across the US.

The cooperative claims that its new Oregon Country Beef brand is a fully Non-GMO Project verified product.

wher Food Comes From president Leann Saunders said: "We are pleased to have been selected to support the launch of this new brand and expand our relationships with the family ranches participating in the programme.

“Country Natural Beef was an early adopter of several consumer-driven production standards that have since become mainstream, and their launch of the Oregon Country Beef brand is a natural progression for them.

“Their extensive use of IMI Global for auditing to multiple standards positions them to access the Saudi Arabia export market and puts them in a great position to qualify for anticipated requirements to enter the Chinese market."

The cooperative has chosen IMI Global for this project due to its long-standing partnership with Country Natural Beef, which used IMI Global to conduct audits for other standards, including source and age, Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC), and the Global Animal Partnership 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating.