# "Grass Fed" Label To Be Dropped



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

AgWeb....

Regards, Mike

http://www.agweb.com/article/grass-fed-label-dropped-by-usda-for-beef-video-naa-wyatt-bechtel/


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Interesting...

Of course the "USDA *whatever*" doesn't really mean much anyway... it's about like "certified organic"...

Yeah, if you want to go through tens of thousands of dollars worth of paperwork and certifications and assessments and other BS to obtain the "certification" to impress a handful of hippie shoppers, more power to ya...

BUT, a guy can grow the same stuff the same way WITHOUT the certification, they simply cannot use the "official certification" stamp or wording on the product...

In the end, this won't mean much, except to regulators... People can still produce "grass fed" or "natural" products using the same techniques and methods and sell them as such, only without the "official" USDA certification...

It's all just advertising, basically...

Later! OL J R


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Technically everything is Farm to Table, Farm to Fork, or other similar designations. You don't see the uproar on that misleading bit. It is a great hook that is the same as Silverados' are to Sierra. A few thousand more for what, the same thing.

Technically 'Grassfed' is a little more fine tuned than the latter. Making Toyota inferior to Lexus or Honda to Acura even though it's the same company only featured differently.

To succeed at marketing your product, you need the edge to fit a niche. I actually do see and taste the benefits of Grassfed/Mineral Supplement Beef versus Grain Finished. Also a great butcher makes a big difference. The added trick is the elimination of preservatives that the grocery stores need to pad their beef display. I have a guy that swears his bad cholesterol lowered and good cholesterol is up because of my beef.

I do not label my beef as Grassfed or add any other Claims. I will answer every question and tell you it's Grassfed with Mineral Supplements, NO added hormones, each animal is treated under a parasite program, all are vaccinated, and have ample withdrawal periods before slaughter. I do not follow the 'All Natural' Crowd. Yes I apply herbicides and commercial fertilizer to my fields because it's necessary. I've tried the All Natural Beef and it's quite gross in my opinion and I think that's what wrinkled the Grassfed versus Grain Finished argument.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

luke strawwalker said:


> Interesting...
> 
> Of course the "USDA *whatever*" doesn't really mean much anyway... it's about like "certified organic"...
> 
> ...


USDA what and what is just advertising as the average consumer think

s farm products are grown in the grocery store or magically appear there.


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

BWfarms said:


> Technically everything is Farm to Table, Farm to Fork, or other similar designations. You don't see the uproar on that misleading bit. It is a great hook that is the same as Silverados' are to Sierra. A few thousand more for what, the same thing.
> 
> Technically 'Grassfed' is a little more fine tuned than the latter. Making Toyota inferior to Lexus or Honda to Acura even though it's the same company only featured differently.
> 
> ...


Don't know what kind of "All Natural Beef" you tried, but I have tasted all natural, both grain and grass fed types from several sources, and everyone was better that anything bought at the grocery store.

There is a huge difference between grass fed and grass finished, which many people don't understand. A properly grass finished beef will be just as fat as a choice grade grain finished.

We buy our grass finished beef from a grass finisher across the river in SD. My wife's main complaint is that sometimes the meat has to much fat, but we never have to worry about flavor or tenderness. It is hard for me to eat grain finished beef anymore, as I have never had any that compares to grass finished beef.


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Sales are the point. Beer sellers tout the water used to brew, geez Doritos even made rainbow chips to sell to a specific market. The angus association figured this out quite well.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

prairie said:


> Don't know what kind of "All Natural Beef" you tried, but I have tasted all natural, both grain and grass fed types from several sources, and everyone was better that anything bought at the grocery store.
> There is a huge difference between grass fed and grass finished, which many people don't understand. A properly grass finished beef will be just as fat as a choice grade grass finished.
> We buy our grass finished beef from a grass finisher across the river in SD. My wife's main complaint is that sometimes the meat has to much fat, but we never have to worry about flavor or tenderness. It is hard for me to eat grain finished beef anymore, as I have never had any that compares to grass finished beef.


You tried Natural, I raise Natural. When I mean All Natural and the emphasis is on ALL, I'm talking about the whole movement of these animals only eat what they are pastured on. There's absolutely no commercial improvements, No mineral supplements, No pour on. No thanks to a stressed diet of eating broomstraw and never being wormed. The terminology difference between Natural and All Natural is what I picked up from the local hippie movement.


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

BWfarms said:


> You tried Natural, I raise Natural. When I mean All Natural and the emphasis is on ALL, I'm talking about the whole movement of these animals only eat what they are pastured on. There's absolutely no commercial improvements, No mineral supplements, No pour on. No thanks to a stressed diet of eating broomstraw and never being wormed. The terminology difference between Natural and All Natural is what I picked up from the local hippie movement.


Some was certified organic, while most was raised by organic standards, just not certified that way.

By your statements about minerals and pour ons, it sounds like you have only a one sided view of organic, natural, grass finished, etc., which is not uncommon for the status quo beef producer. Don't believe everything you read in the cattle magazines and that NCBA says, research and go see for yourself. It will be a huge eye opener.

Mineral supplementation is allowed and encouraged in most organic/natural beef production. There are natural and/or organic options for both internal and external lice control. Treatment with antibiotics is done when needed, but those animals cannot be sold as organic or natural.

We do not raise organic or natural cattle, but I know many who do very successfully.


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## atgreene (May 19, 2013)

We aren't organic, but do all grass fed. I've left the door open if I need to treat, but other than minerals, they get nothing but grass and veggies. We sell direct from our farm, by the lb or by the side. Customers are a niche market, but they come to see the animals, buy our Beef eggs and pork and realize they are paying for the ability to see exactly where the animals come from. I like it, they like it. It's not for everyone, but it works for us.


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

Looks like there may be no real change

"...AMS's Sam Jones-Ellard. As Sam explained, producers and consumers should see no effect from this change. "FSIS will still approve grass-fed labels like they always have, and AMS will still verify grass-fed claims through our suite of third-party verification services," he said. The only difference is that AMS is not maintaining this voluntary standard."

http://onpasture.com/2016/01/18/usda-revokes-grassfed-label-standard-not/


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