Producer Residency and Certification: Producers must reside in one of the three cities and five towns in Okitama and be certified by the Yonezawa Beef Branding Promotion Council. The cattle must be raised primarily in registered barns. Type of Cattle: Only uncalved female black Wagyu are eligible. Market and Grading: The beef must be auctioned at the Yonezawa Beef Carcass Market or Tokyo Meat Market, or slaughtered at the Yonezawa Meat Center and graded by the Japan Meat Grading Association. Exported beef must be processed at a designated slaughterhouse. Age and Quality: The cattle must be 32 months old or older, and the carcass must meet grade 3 or higher for appearance, meat quality, and fat content as defined by the Japan Meat Grading Association.