Farmscape for December 20, 2004  (Episode 1672)

Canada Pork says Canada's new pork nomenclature will improve both the clarity and the consistency of the naming of the various cuts of pork at retail.

Nomenclature is the federally recognized naming structure for cuts of meat sold at retail.

In an effort to make the cut names for pork more consistent with those of others species, more palatable to consumers and less cumbersome, an industry task force has updated the naming structure.

Canada Pork Manager Mary Ann Binnie says the goal of the exercise was to streamline the cut names and ensure their continuity across the country while maintaining consumer friendliness and usefulness.

Clip-Mary Ann Binnie-Canada Pork 

The new common names for pork cuts will become enforceable at retail January 1, 2005.

The main changes are "pork loin rib end" is now just "pork loin rib".

The "pork loin centre cut" is "pork loin centre" and "pork loin tenderloin end" is now "pork sirloin".

The main changes have taken place in the loin and also in the shoulder.

The "pork shoulder butt" is now "pork shoulder blade".

They are the main primal areas and, as such, things like the strips and the cutlets and the chops and roasts that roll out from these primals obviously will carry these new names.

The number of names affected are numerous but it's the main primals that have changed.

Binney says the new nomenclature utilizes names with which consumers are already familiar, that are more anatomically correct and descriptive and which are more consistent with cut names used by other species.

She says, while many retailers have already made the switch, all are required to be using the new structure by January 1st.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council