USDA: Naturally Raised Marketing Claim Standard

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dun

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The standard will be published as a notice in the Federal Register and is titled "United States Standards for Livestock and Meat Marketing Claims, Naturally Raised Claim for Livestock and the Meat and Meat Products Derived from such Livestock."

The naturally raised marketing claim standard states that livestock used for the production of meat and meat products have been raised entirely without growth promotants, antibiotics (except for ionophores used as coccidiostats for parasite control), and have never been fed animal by-products. The voluntary standard will establish the minimum requirements for those producers who choose to operate a USDA-verified program involving a naturally raised claim. USDA analyzed over 44,000 comments from producers, processors, consumers, and other interested parties in the development of this standard.

The segment of the marketplace that includes specific animal raising claims has experienced exponential growth in the past five years. Use of a naturally raised marketing claim standard has the potential to increase the available supply of US meat products eligible for niche marketing programs in the United States, the European Union, and other export markets that require livestock to be raised without the administration of growth promotants.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) works with industry representatives, academia, and other interested parties to establish or revise US standards for nearly 240 agricultural products. Industry uses standards in the marketplace to specify the quality of commodities. Standards facilitate commerce by providing a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of agricultural products. Increasingly, livestock and meat producers are using production or processing claims to distinguish their products in the marketplace.

The naturally raised marketing claim standard will be published in the 21 January, 2009, Federal Register. This voluntary standard will become effective upon Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the related information collection provisions pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).
 
Have only ever sold "naturally raised" beef. It is good to see that there are guidelines and standards coming out. I think that this is a great opportunity for cattle people, especially the smaller guys trying to make a profit on fewer cattle.
 
Just curious, but if give a young calf LA-200 would this disqualify it from being naturally raised even if you don't butcher it for a year or so?
 
Jogeephus":2jnxtqvg said:
Just curious, but if give a young calf LA-200 would this disqualify it from being naturally raised even if you don't butcher it for a year or so?
yes any antibiotics given at anytime will disqualify that animal
I run CTC in my mineral and if I don't have it pulled by the time the calves are born I can't sell them as all natural
They are offering a program now that is No Hormone Treated Cattle that was designed to compete with the all natural program in this market you can use antibiotics but no implants
 
angie":3eh4rxw1 said:
By my standards, yes.

Kinda what I was thinking. So if this is correct, I would suspect this will lead to either documentation on each animal or limiting this market only to producers who raise the calves from birth to plate. This could be a good thing. JMO
 
Jogeephus":7d6hqunq said:
angie":7d6hqunq said:
By my standards, yes.

Kinda what I was thinking. So if this is correct, I would suspect this will lead to either documentation on each animal or limiting this market only to producers who raise the calves from birth to plate. This could be a good thing. JMO
Doesn't limit the birth to plate but the producer who birthed the calves has to sign an affidavit claiming the all natural status and everyone who has possesion of these calves after that producers has to do the same thing
really the way the system is set up right now it is more of an honor system

so I am sure some abuse this system
 
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!
 
Onthebit":1kx8245i said:
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that it's an opportunity for a producer to get more money for his cattle. I don't think the government gets any money for organic or natural beef, but the producer might.
 
Frankie":2hmipn1o said:
Onthebit":2hmipn1o said:
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that it's an opportunity for a producer to get more money for his cattle. I don't think the government gets any money for organic or natural beef, but the producer might.

Not if the producer is spending his profits on certification.
 
Frankie":z1ervdhb said:
Onthebit":z1ervdhb said:
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that it's an opportunity for a producer to get more money for his cattle. I don't think the government gets any money for organic or natural beef, but the producer might.
The Organic producer is paying some nice pocket change to use the USDA Organic label.
 
Bluestem":t2snqn1y said:
Frankie":t2snqn1y said:
Onthebit":t2snqn1y said:
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that it's an opportunity for a producer to get more money for his cattle. I don't think the government gets any money for organic or natural beef, but the producer might.
The Organic producer is paying some nice pocket change to use the USDA Organic label.

Very few things in life are free. If someone certifies anything, they're going to have to be paid to stay in business to continue to certify something. What does it cost to use the USDA Organic label?
 
I think this COULD be a good thing. I emphasize the birth-to-plate on my "natural" no antibiotic/no hormone beef. However I think the "natural" label also implies to consumers other things about the way the animal was raised fed and slaughtered.

However what this standard language could also mean is that there will be "natural beef" (= no anti biotics even though they may have needed them and no growth hormones with loss of growth offset by higher selling price due to natural label) in the meat case at Wal Mart. All that is needed is a few suppliers to sign affidavits. How about imported "natural beef" from overseas? Who is going to trace those animals back and check their feed and shot records?

Sort of reminds me of the M.A.S.H. TV program where Radar routinely puts papers (affidavits?) in front of the Colonel to sign saying "you don't really want to read this".....

Will be interesting but could hurt the small producer if it gives large scale marketers the opportunity to stamp their same old product as "natural". Who is going to check up on these claims and who is responsible if traces of hormones or antibiotics are found? How will you trace this back and to whose affidavit????
 
Onthebit":1p6bpoff said:
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!
You are talking about Organic and the thread is about Natural they are 2 different categories in the US
To raise Certified Organic you can not use any commercial fertilizers, no pesticides,No herbicides, No Antibiotics,No Hormone and I beleive your farm has to be fert,pesticide,andherbicide free for 3 yrs before you can gain Organic Status

Alot of people confuse Organic and all natural, in an all natural program if a calf needs meds you give it document it and pull that animal from the all natural status , They way I understand to dr a calf on an organic farm that animal has to be removed from the premises and can not return to the premises
 
Angus Cowman":49o0aw42 said:
Onthebit":49o0aw42 said:
Do you Americans not already have 'certified organic'? If so, then this is just another way for the gov't to get into your pockets. I have friends who raise 'certified organic' beef here in Canada and its costs them a lot of money for the certification and a lot of time which is money! I also have friends who are organic but choose not to certify and they market as 'naturally raised'. All I can see from here is more money for the bureaucracy!
You are talking about Organic and the thread is about Natural they are 2 different categories in the US
To raise Certified Organic you can not use any commercial fertilizers, no pesticides,No herbicides, No Antibiotics,No Hormone and I beleive your farm has to be fert,pesticide,andherbicide free for 3 yrs before you can gain Organic Status

Alot of people confuse Organic and all natural, in an all natural program if a calf needs meds you give it document it and pull that animal from the all natural status , They way I understand to dr a calf on an organic farm that animal has to be removed from the premises and can not return to the premises


That was my point. You already have the bureaucracy sticking it to the organic farmers. The alternative was to go 'natural' but now they want to regulate that too!
 
/quote/ That was my point. You already have the bureaucracy sticking it to the organic farmers. The alternative was to go 'natural' but now they want to regulate that too! /quote/

I've been out of mainstream ag for over twenty years. Texas (if I recall correctly) started regulating Organics in the early 90's. Now of course its federally regulated. Those who have been doing this awhile are an ornery bunch and don't like being told what they can and cannot do. So they would use a different term for there products. Natural,Grassfed etc. Both of which will soon be regulated. The latest term we have been using is Local,Buy local etc. You would think that term would be safe. But no. There is talk now of defining the term local. All of this is being driven by an industry trying to keep up with innovative farmers, making a buck. The box stores are having a fit trying to figure a way to make produce from china fit the term local. And in the end they will make it happen. And ornery folks will find another term. Its a joke around our dinner table, trying to find the next marketing term.
Sorry dun if I got off topic.
 
Correct if I am wrong, but I don't think there are any extra bueracracy charges to claim all natural status, and I am not sure of the certified organic, but i did not think there was any extra charges there either from the goverment. I think there is some independent group that audits you or something.
 
hayray":12nr0lws said:
Correct if I am wrong, but I don't think there are any extra bueracracy charges to claim all natural status, and I am not sure of the certified organic, but i did not think there was any extra charges there either from the goverment. I think there is some independent group that audits you or something.

I think you are right but but the face of government regulation can come in many forms whether it comes from independant groups or not. It is still a cost. But, I don't see an alternative given that some people lack integrity. I guess you just have to weigh in the cost of verification and see if it works for you. Its just a shame when regulations end up causing people with integrity undue headaches.
 

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