Grazing America 2007
Building a Bridge between the Farm and the Table

The American Grassfed Association is the name that speaks for grassfed production.  Dr. Whisnant has served as President of this organization for two years.  The AGA’s fourth annual conference will be held November 1-3 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel, Austin, Texas.  This event will bring together grassfed producers with the consumer and end users (retailer, customer, and chef) to network, learn and share information in the direct route between the farm and the table.

The list of speakers and presenters include:
John Mackey, CEO and founder of Whole Foods Market
Martin O’Connor, Branch Chief of USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
Jo Robinson, author of Pasture Perfect
 Linda Faillace, author of Mad Sheep- the True Story behind the USDA’s War on a Family Farm
Rick Bayless, noted author and award winning chef-restaurateur
Gary Nabhan, author of Coming Home to Eat
Monica Pope, one of Texas’ treasured chefs and restaurateur

Marian Burros has long been an advocate for sustainable farming as well as a champion of grassfed meats sourced directly from family farms.  She called immediately after the USDA grassfed claim was published in the Federal Register.  In that interview I explained the mixed feelings I had about what the claim stated.  Following is a result of that conversation.

New Rules Set for Meat Sold as Grass Fed

By MARIAN BURROS
Published: October 19, 2007
The Department of Agriculture has announced standards that would for the first time allow meat to be labeled as grass fed only if it came from animals that ate nothing but grass after being weaned.
Grass-fed meat has become more popular and widely raised in the past few years. Many of those who buy it consider it better for the environment than meat from animals raised on grain in huge lots, and healthier, because it is believed to have higher levels of Omega-3 fats. Some people also find it tastier.
Until now, said Martin E. O’Connor, the department official who oversees regulation of livestock feed, use of the grass-fed label was unregulated. Early proposals during five years of discussion would have permitted it for animals that were fattened on grain in their final weeks.
But the trade association representing many raisers of grass-fed livestock, which has long sought regulation of labeling, criticized the standards, which were announced on Monday, because they do not restrict the use of antibiotics and hormones and do not require grass-fed animals to live on pastures year round. The group, the American Grassfed Association, said it would set up its own certification system.
“The public perception is that grass-fed animals are on pasture,” said Dr. Patricia Whisnant, a veterinarian and president of the association, “they are not confined and are not given hormones or antibiotics.”

In light of the recent publishing of the USDA grassfed claim I wanted to review the management protocol we use at American GrassFed Beef to clearly indicate how we produce our beef.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
This standard is intended to embrace the following fundamental
principles:
• Grass-based animal production where animals are born and raised on open grass pastures.
• Holistic approach to farm/ranch management
• Responsible animal care that supports humane animal welfare, handling, transport and harvest of grassfed ruminant animals.

FORAGE PROTOCOL:
A grassfed ruminant is an animal that is born, raised and finished on open, grass pastures where perennial and annual grasses, forbs, legumes, brassicas, browse and post-harvest crop residue without grain, shall be the sole energy source, with the exception of mother’s milk, from birth to harvest. Hay, baleage, haylage, silage, ensiiage from any of the above sources may be fed to animals while on pasture during periods of inclement weather or low forage quality. For purposes of this claim, forage, with the exception of grass, is any plant material harvested prior to the expression of seeds for reproduction. Any incidental grain (derived from seeds naturally attached to herbage,
forage, browse, et cetera) consumed in insignificant amounts and not intentionally fed in an attempt to circumvent this standard shall not disqualify animals from this program.

American Grassfed Association Position Statement on the Newly Released USDA Grass Fed Claim
 
 The Board of Directors of the American Grassfed Association appreciates the effort made by the Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA to establish a Grass Fed Claim for Ruminant Livestock. That said, we are disappointed with the content of the Standard that AMS-USDA finalized today.  We believe that this Standard, as published, fails to adequately address the following basic facets, tenets and integrity of Grass Fed animal husbandry:

•       The grass fed label claim can continue to be used by anyone in the marketplace since participation in this AMS verification process is voluntary.
•       The unrestricted supplementation of energy is allowed, as long as the feedings are recorded.  This standard does not set any restriction on amount, frequency or type of non-forage feedstuffs.
•       Long-term confinement practices are allowed under this standard since "access" to pasture and frost dates are easily manipulated.
•       The use of artificial hormones is allowed under this standard.
•       The use of therapeutic and sub-therapeutic antibiotics is allowed under this standard.
•       Artificial milk replacers are allowed under this standard including milk replacers made from bovine blood meal.

The Board of Directors of the American Grassfed Association feels that the spirit of the claim is negated by these allowances.  Further, we are certain that the confusion on the part of the consumer will increase as the consumer's expectations of grass fed products do not appear to be served by this labeling standard.
 
For additional information contact Dr. Patricia Whisnant, President, American Grassfed Association at 573-225-7078, pwhisnant@americangrassfedbeef.com  or Carrie Balkcom, Executive Director, American Grassfed Association 877-774-7277 or 303 243 4300  aga@americangrassfed.org
 

The United States Department of Agriculture has been working to publish a grassfed claim since 2002. The American Grassfed Association (AGA) of which Dr. Whisnant is President strongly protested the 2006 revision which addressed the feeding practice alone and did nothing to link the claim to animals raised on pasture.  Hence, it would have allowed for animals to be raised in a feedlot, fed antibiotics and growth hormones and bear the grassfed label.  Over 19,000 comments were primarily based in opposition to the confinement issue.

Rising consumer interest in the potential health benefits of grassfed meats has created new market opportunities for farmers and ranchers. However, without accepted standards and criteria, grassfed claims are being made for a wide variety of management and feeding practices. This lack of clarity has made it difficult for consumers to evaluate grassfed claims.

While the USDA standard was intended to remedy the problem, producers are reluctant to wait further as they fear the lack of a definitive standard has already eroded the market as many companies market themselves as grassfed and yet finish their beef in feedlots.  The AGA believes it is important to protect the true grassfed producer and consumer by defining the term in a manner that allows for transparency of the entire process.

This USDA standard can be read as a part of the Federal Register at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-20328.htm.

As more and more consumers become increasingly informed of where their food is sourced they also want to know more about how it is raised.  Grassfed has represented a niche market that has grown immensely over the last few years. 

What began as an inclination of consumers toward healthier and safer foods now represents a larger group who not only wants the perceived health benefits but comes to grassfed because of the management model.  Some consumers come because they care intensely about the humane treatment of animals we harvest for food.  Some come because they support sustainable agricultural practices that benefits the environment rather than depleting resources.  Many choose to support small family-scale farming over the factory farm model of agriculture.  For whatever reason most consumers who choose to buy grassfed products have in mind animals humanely raised on pasture with the most natural process possible.

Last week the USDA published into the Federal Register a grassfed (forage) claim for use as a voluntary marketing distinction.  This should make the producer and consumer happy, right?  Well, n