Certified Hereford Beef and the American Hereford Assn. board of directors have voted unanimously to modify the minimum marbling score requirement of the current Schedule G-10 for the Certified Hereford Beef brand.

The minimum marbling score requirement will be modified from a Slight00 marbling score to a Small00 marbling score to elevate the quality level of the Certified Hereford Beef brand to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Choice quality grade.

“Our Hereford farmers and ranchers have worked diligently over the years to improve the Hereford breed,” Amari Seiferman, Certified Hereford Beef chief operating officer, said. “This modification is a testament to their work and proves Certified Hereford Beef is a premium-quality product. We are proud to move our brand forward into a new era of success.”

The marbling score modification will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019. The Certified Hereford Beef brand will serve customers with two flagship programs: Choice and Premium. The Choice program will provide a USDA Choice and higher product, while the Premium program will provide an upper-two-thirds USDA Choice and higher product.