Meat Slaughter and Processing Plants’ TraceabilityLevels: Evidence From Iowa

Based on an econometric analysis of the data obtained from a survey of meat plants( ) in Iowa in summer 2007, this paper identifies the factors impacting the meatplants’ voluntary adoption of forward and backward traceability activities. The resultssuggest that the ownership type (corporate versus independent) and operations type(slaughtering versus not) matter rather than the size and meat type produced (beef, pork,or poultry) as suggested in the previous surveys. Furthermore, food safety activitiesappear to be complementary to traceability activities. The findings may assist ongoingregulatory efforts in implementing traceability in U.S. in the near future.[...]