You are asking about two different things. To call meat "organic" you will have to be "certified organic" according to federal regulations. In a nutshell, the animals must be on pasture a large part of their lives, have not been exposed to antibiotics since the third month of gestation, only be fed certified organic feed - whether forage or grain - not be implanted with hormones and not be exposed to synthetic de-wormers. To be "natural", the meat must not have anything added to it. There is also a market for meat that isn't "certified organic", but has never been exposed to wormers, antibiotics or hormones. Most of these markets are still considered "niche" and are mostly "direct" (you sell directly to the consumer, retail).For more information, see the USDA organic program website, or do a search on organic beef, natural beef, grass finished beef.
Alison
> Can someone explain to ne
> "natural" or
> "organic" beef? I read
> an article about a rancher that
> was raising them and who stated
> they were free of hormones and
> antibiotics and that people
> thought they were only fed on
> pasture but that he feeds grain.
> Since we have moved our ranch to a
> more "rural citified"
> area I have people wanting to buy
> my steers directly from me after
> weaning. I used to putthem through
> the sale yard. I dont give
> hormones but do give a penicillin
> shot when they are banded. I also
> give vaccinations, vitmins,
> delicers and wormers. Also put
> them on feed store grain at
> weaning, so would this mean they
> are not "natural" or
> "organic"?? Thanks!
Au Naturel Farm
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