Harahan,
La., December 7th, 2006 � USDA approves Bovigen as a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP). Since its inception, Bovigen has focused on quality control and customer service as a matter of course, for delivery of the most accurate DNA based technologies available. As the latest step in this core belief, Bovigen has subjected its quality control processes and protocols to scrutiny by the USDA and its PVP. Bovigen is the only DNA testing company to have been successfully audited and approved as a USDA PVP.
�This is another important step in establishing a high bar for quality and reliability,� said Victor Castellon, CEO of Bovigen. �There will always be competition in the marketplace, but by delivering on our quality of service promise, we stand out from the competition. That's good for our customers and that's good for the beef industry.�
This approval confirms the Bovigen quality focus, and verifies our ability to
securely preserve sample identification, and to provide quality, repeatable
genetic analysis to our customers. The USDA audited Bovigen's complete product
line to include our GeneSTAR® diagnostic tests for Quality Grade, Tenderness
and Homozygous Black, along with our parentage tool - SireTRACE® - and our traceability tool � SureTRAK®.
To achieve these high standards, Bovigen has chosen to work exclusively with the Sequenom Mass Array Platform for DNA testing in the Agriculture arena. The Sequenom SNP testing platform has provided Bovigen with both high throughput and high quality data on a consistent basis and Bovigen is confident in the platforms ability to meet the quickly expanding opportunities for DNA testing in the beef industry.
Bovigen is looking forward to ongoing oversight by USDA, through the PVP, as a way to ensure continued confidence in the data we provide to our customers. As DNA technology continues to evolve, Bovigen will evaluate reliable, appropriate opportunities to submit all our processes and products to third party review.
�Progressive producers are already there, but in the very near future, any profit focused producer will want to know the genotypes in an animal before they breed, feed, vaccinate, sort or transport it,� said Castellon.
�Whether it's a SureTRAK® program for DNA traceback as part of a farm
to fork food safety system, or a GeneSTAR® test for feed efficiency, reproductive
efficiency or disease resistance, an animal's DNA will be a key ingredient in
managing and marketing that animal for maximum efficiency and profitability.� �DNA technology will increasingly impact every facet of the Beef business, and this verification process is an important step in confirming our long term commitment to Bovigen's partnership with the industry,� he added.
For a complete list of USDA Process Verified Programs, go to http://processverified.usda.gov/
About Bovigen
Bovigen, LLC is a global genetic technology company. Bovigen promotes excellence
in the beef industry by developing, acquiring and commercializing genetic tools
that enable producers to improve value and positively impact industry economics.
The company's products include GeneSTARò Tenderness;
GeneSTARò Quality Grade; SireTRACEò; SureTRAKò, GPD�, GeneSTAR Elite Tender� and
GeneSTARò Black. For more information visit www.bovigen.com or call 877.BEEF.DNA
