[Promoted from a comment. The USDA is now trying to destroy the term Grass-fed just as they co-opted and destroyed the term Organic. We raise our produce and livestock organically at Sugar Mountain Farm but are now banned from using the term organic because of the greed of big corporations and actions of the USDA. Each year they continue to water down the term organic to the point where factory farms can now get away with deceiving consumers into believing they are producing organically. By the way, also check out Certified Naturally Grown which is an alternative to Organic Certification that does not involve the USDA. Support alternatives to government. -WJ]
The USDA has published for comment grass fed standards to define what the term Grass Fed means. This claim defines grass fed to mean animals who receive 99% of their lifetime energy supply from grass and forage. However, it falls short of defining where this forage diet can be fed.
To most consumers the term grass fed means cattle humanely raised in grass pastures from birth to harvest, the way nature intended. The USDA proposal would allow animals to be kept in confinement, fed harvested forage, corn silage and other grains that have not been separated from their stalks. If this proposed claim passes into regulation you could see feedlot beef fed antibiotics, hormones and legally be labeled grass fed Beef.
We feel so strongly about this we are asking for your help in responding to the USDA. We are quite sure you don’t want grass fed cattle standing in confinement for 160 to 220 days, without shade, eating corn silage and being fed antibiotics and growth hormones. We ask you to please take the time to insure the term Grass Fed Beef means range or pasture raised not Factory Farmed, confinement raised.
As a producer we strongly feel that any grass fed standard must address and restrict confinement feeding as an integral part of that standard, otherwise the label will lose its integrity. As a consumer, we believe you will agree with us and ask that you please E-Mail the USDA at marketingclaim@usda.gov to allow your opinion to be known. Refer to Docket No. LS-05-09.
The deadline for accepting comment is August 10. Simply comment that you as a consumer believe that the standard for grass fed must include reference to being raised on pasture and a restriction of confinement feeding systems.
Patricia Whisnant,
DVM President,
American Grassfed Association Owner
American Grass Fed Beef
Which is why when “organic” comes up, I simply point out that it is politics and has nothing to do with organic.
Comment Kamatu — August 17, 2006 @ 6:21 am