SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (Nov. 2, 2000) – The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (Nov. 2, 2000) – The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) today honored Dr. Gary Smith with its Distinguished Service Award during its Board of Directors Strategic Planning and Marketing Conference here. The award honors outstanding people in the red meat industry who have exemplified the special, individual devotion which has brought about the red meat industry’s success.

"If I had to pick one word to characterize Dr. Smith’s contribution to the industry," USMEF Chairman Merlyn Carlson told the USMEF directors, "that word would be passion. And Dr. Smith’s passion moves him to do whatever it takes and whatever he can to help the industry he has inspired for three decades."

"Dr. Smith has been associated with all the major scientific advances and research that have helped our industry improve shelf life, quality and safety. He’s the person we rely on when we have problems and challenges of a scientific nature," added Carlson. "We turn to Dr. Smith when we need answers to technical questions that impede the flow of trade. No one in academia has proven a more avid proponent of U.S. red meat exports. He is the paramount example of one of the great partnerships that make our business run as efficiently as it does."

Dr. Smith spearheaded research at Colorado State University and Texas A&M into carcass evaluation and grading; composition, quality and palatability; safety, packaging and retailing of red meat.

"Thanks to Dr. Smith, and his colleagues in the academic arm of our industry," Carlson said, "we have convinced many of our trading partners of the quality and safety of our products and the durable shelf life of chilled and frozen meat when transported and stored under correct conditions."

Dr. Smith is the sixth recipient of USMEF’s Distinguished Service Award. He joins an elite group of people who have shown creativity, an open, inquiring and innovative approach to problems and improvements and a passionate embrace of the effort needed to bring about change and expansion.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is a national trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. For its programs, USMEF receives funding and support from USDA, exporting companies and the beef, pork, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs. Headquartered in Denver, USMEF has offices in Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Mexico City and London. USMEF also has special market representatives covering China, the Middle East, South America, the former Soviet Union and the Caribbean.

-USMEF-