The USDA grade shields are highly regarded as symbols of safe, high-quality American beef.  Quality grades are widely used as a "language" within the beef industry, making business transactions easier and providing a vital link to support rural America. 

Beef is graded in two ways: quality grades for tenderness, juiciness and flavor; and yield grades for the amount of usable lean meat on the carcass. 

成日出街食牛扒、買牛扒都會聽到Prime、Choice、Select，但係究竟係咩黎？

其實USDA（United States Department of Agriculture ）是美國農業部的簡稱，而USDA就專為美國牛肉制定一個品質認證系統，主要由牛肉的年齡和脂肪紋理兩個因素來決定級別。