Kobe beef in the U.S?

It's for the same reason that all sparkling wine is in America is called 'champagne'. We don't participate in PDO / PGI / DOP / etc. agreements with most foreign countries. We do have requirements for specifically American-made items to have similar tules, such as Bourbon (so Jack Daniels is Tennessee Whiskey, not Bourbon). But just as America doesn't recognize the European protection for parmesean, champagne, etc, European countries don't recognize the American protections.

I've talked to a local Wagyu farmer, and he said that true Kobe has to be processed in Japan (and he said it in an ambigous enough way suggesting that it might be possible for American-raised cattle to be shipped back to Japan for processing), and they're given a specific diet and treatment that doesn't happen in the US. (I also tried to talk him into selling me 1/2 a cow, and at the time (3-4 years ago?) he said it was in such high demand that all of his cows were sold before he even started raising them. At that time, Wagyu was still pretty rare in the US, and it was being sold as Wagyu ... it only seems to be more recently (last 1-2 years) that I've people selling it in the US as 'Kobe'.

Most of the "American Wagyu" has also been cross-bred with an American cattle. (The story I've heard is that the sperm was brought over, not live cattle, so they had to start with American heffers). So it's going to have some percentage of Longhorn or Angus in it.

The rules for "Kobe Beef" labeling in final food products (like a burger) are lax. For the burger to cost $13-$15, it´s only possible using "Kobe-style" beef. These are Wagyu cattle raised by ranchers in the USA, typically bread with Angus cattle. The other option is Wagyu cattle raised in the "Kobe Style" in any other area that is not Kobe, Japan.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-barrett/chicagoburgerbiblecom-kob_b_875658.html

To sum it up succinctly, it's false. They are exploiting a foreign brand to make their product seem exclusive and high-end. They can get away with it because the brand has little legal validity in the States.

While Kobe may be imported legally at the moment, it is most certainly not available at the prices you mentioned.

Some reading on the subject: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/09/28/kobe-beef-is-back-new-rules-allow-some-japanese-beef-in-u-s/

When a store says it's Kobe-style they're essentially saying it's not Kobe beef. Kobe beef is only bred in Japan and only a little over 5000 head are bred annually. There's a Wynn casino in Las Vegas. That's the only place in the US where you can buy real Kobe beef. There is no such thing as Kobe beef sold at retail in the US. There's a website you can go to and see where every single head, by serial number, of Kobe was sold/exported to.

For one Kobe looks different from any other beef you've seen due to the extensive fat marbling. Secondly, one steak of Kobe beef would cost about $200 or more in your local grocery store.

There's a similar situation for Wasabi sauce. Guys think there so tough because they are eating wasabi sauce, much like when they try to impress by eating hot peppers. Then I tell them that most Wasabi is simply horseradish with green food coloring. Don't believe me? Check the ingredients. Real Wasabi root is very expensive and if the restaurant is truly professional, they grate the root fresh at the table.

The situation with Wasabi is improving as a farmer in the Pacific Northwest has figured out a way to grow it commercially. You now have some chance of getting real wasabi. Will you like it? Can't say. I myself have never tasted real wasabi root.

As far as I know, the situation is unchanged for Kobe. If your market says they are selling Kobe beef, they are likely lying to you. Now whether the laws say you can't do that...they don't stop people from labeling stuff as wasabi even though it has no wasabi.

Eater beware.