AMS NEWS RELEASE
AMS No. 178-07
Billy Cox (202) 720-8998
billy.cox@usda.gov
Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998
jimmie.turner@usda.govUSDA ESTABLISHES GRASS (FORAGE) FED MARKETING CLAIM STANDARD
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2007 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today issued a voluntary standard for grass (forage) fed marketing claims. The standard will be published as a Notice in the Federal Register and is titled the U.S. Standard for Livestock and Meat Marketing Claim, Grass (Forage) Fed Claim for Ruminant Livestock and the Meat Products Derived from Such Livestock. …
-USDA Press Release
Wonderful. Once again the USDA is out to subvert the meaning of our language and hand over the food market to big corporate interests. They are going to take over the term grass fed just like they took over the term organic so that big business can benefit and those of use who have been doing it for years will be shoved out the back door.
On the face of it it looks like they’re going to be helpful and define grass fed so that the term isn’t abused by corps that aren’t actually doing grass feeding to their livestock. The reality is that once they have control they’ll change, dilute and pollute the term by letting animals kept in confinement operations but fed a partial grass diet be defined as grass fed so as to further confuse consumers and steal away the remaining minimal portion of the market that small farmers have.
Voluntary will become mandatory. Soon you will not be able to use the term grass fed unless you signup with the USDA and pay them their bribe price. The fees will be set high enough to exclude the vast majority of small farmers who are already practicing pastured grass fed raising of livestock.
It started this way with organic standards. Then they locked out those of us who really do organic. Then they allowed non-organic practices to be used by Big Ag but still be labeled certified ‘USDA Certified Organic’.
This is about big monied lobbyists manipulating regulations, laws and definitions to benefit their corporate masters so they can corner the market and force out the competition from small farmers.
One more way our government ‘helps’ us. Anything to do with the government is not voluntary for long. Eventually the busy bodies mandate it because they ‘know what is best for you’. The last thing we need is more government regulation. I strongly suggest everyone check out a truly voluntary, farmer based, program for Certified Naturally Grown at http://NaturallyGrown.org
The solution is for consumers to buy locally from farmers they know and trust. But there’s no money in that for the high paid lobbyists and big corporations. Note that the USDA spends billions of dollars subsidizing Big Ag but only a few million dollars promoting local small farm to consumer programs like “Community Food Projects” which has been cut from the recent farm bill. Given that the “Community Food Projects” is a $5 million item and the federal budget is $2,387 billion this is like the a miser worrying over the loss of 0.0002 cents. That’s 1.6 cents for every man, woman and child. Yet at the same time they’re worrying about a dropping a penny to the poor they’re giving away nearly $13 billion of subsidies to Big Ag.
It’s time to end farm subsidies and stop having Nanny state government micro-manage our lives.
… The standard will be published in the Oct. 16, 2007, Federal Register. Copies of the proposal and more information are available by accessing the Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/claim.htm; from Martin E. O’Connor, AMS Livestock and Seed Programs, Room 2607–S, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0254; or by calling (202) 720-4486.
-USDA Press Release
How about we create a new term then. How about: “Free Range Grass Fed” or “Pasture-Grass Fed” or “Real Live Honest-to-Gawd Green Grass Fed” or anything that our corporate-bribed government hasn’t screwed up yet.
Comment Rich — October 19, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
The farmer from whom I buy locally, told me the label on store-bought eggs was legal as long as these hens were not caged for LESS than 15 minutes per day. Do I trust his comment? Yes, he charges $1.50 per dozen eggs, when the store-bought (supposedly free-range chickens), eggs are $3.99.
You have to be a moron to buy into the labels in your grocery store.
Comment Mari in Wis. — October 19, 2007 @ 10:26 pm
Good idea, Rich! The moral here is: Anything that the USDA endorses is going to be a lie and a cheat… It is a real shame that the USDA had descended to such low morality. Due to their power-drunken ways, they are no better than criminals.
When I see the USDA inspected label on a piece of mainstream beef or poultry in the supermarket, I say aloud, “OH GAWD.”
“Open pastured range fed” might be another doable option. Or: Authentic free range/grass fed… “Grass fed, the real deal” However, Rich, I like your “Real Live Honest-to-Gawd Green Grass Fed” label the best!
Comment John Sherrer — October 19, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
This new “directive” from the USDA reminds me of what the Communists did in all of their subservient states after WW II. They collectivized all the farms and farmers and assigned “experts” who told the farmers, who had farmed for generations, when to plant, what to plant and when to harvest. Well, the system fell apart. …looks like some of the so called intelligentsia on agriculture seems to have caught the communist spirit and wish to implement thee same unproven idiocy in the land of the brave and free. What we now have is collectivization by Big Business and its incestuous relation with the Bureaucrats
How long will it be before the “people” wake up? Is it time for another revolution?
Oh, I forgot its all for the welfare and safety of the people…
Comment John Miesel — October 20, 2007 @ 11:00 am
What a bunch of ‘Pucki’ the USDA puts out! Did anyone see the articles on Ernest Hemmingway’s 6-toed cats, and how the USDA has fought 5 years and spent millions of taxpayers dollars on? Because they know what’s best for the cats? When Hemmingway left money and instructions for them?
Just another example of why the USDA should ‘butt out’ of things that don’t concern them!
Comment Sara Renfroe, WA — October 20, 2007 @ 11:26 am
I’ve got an idea for a new label that the gov won’t touch with a ten foot pole. I know not everybody’s gonna go for this, cause not everyone believes. How about something mentioning God? Like instead of “grass-fed”, use “God-fed”. They wouldn’t dare try to hijack the word “God”
…would they?
Comment vmsumlot — October 20, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
This usurping of agriculture has been going on since Ezra Taft Benson and the famous dictum, “There are too many farmers!” Since that Truman time, all agricultural policies have been written to put small producers at risk or out of business. Look at milk, poultry, swine, etc. And now “organic”, GMO, and this site’s very own RFID-based animal ID. I look forward to the day when composting and green cover crops and rotation grazing and cropping will be taxed and/or regulated so as to render them impossible for the small producer. Any other things to look forward to courtesy USDA? My suggestion for a new term is “Unbelievably Raised”. Thanks millions for this great site.
Comment David Whitehouse — October 21, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
We need to form an organization that will protect us. People who have been organic, natural or grass fed since the beginning can join. There would be simple paperwork, and a web site so people can find our farms. No inspections and costs. Perhaps we can make it our own religious farming community so they government will leave us alone. We believe in the natural order of things etc etc etc…
Lets call it NORGANICASS. or some cross between natural, organic, free range, grass fed…..
Small farms can join, basically anyone but Big Ag. I have no idea how to start an organization, but we need to be our own mini USDA, but in a good way. We need to wake up and realize we are NOT living in a free country anymore.
[There are many with some in probably all states. Here in Vermont one is Rural Vermont and in Virginia one is VICFA. Join the existing organizations and empower them to do more to protect the interests of small farms and consumers. -WJ]
Comment Shelley — October 23, 2007 @ 8:20 am