Spring time always brings out the renewal of our outside spirit and with that comes the grill.  Naturally, our family is beef eaters and that makes for our major protein consumed.  We love steaks but there are times that nothing quite satisfies like a good ol’ American hamburger cooked on the open grill.  I read a consumer survey recently that said 85% of Americans eat a hamburger at least once a week.  That just may top any other food type.  I know many of these burgers are from fast food sources and may not help the nutritional level of our kids or us.  Yet, consider this favorite of all American foods in a new and healthy version.  Burgers out of grass fed beef!  The varieties are endless.

A few of our favorite burger fixens include sautéed wild mushrooms on top of the burger, blueberries added directly into the meat, a blue cheese topping, the unbeatable combination of bacon and cheddar cheese, red onions, and a endless combination of condiments from as simple as ketchup and mustard to exotic homemade twists of Mediterranean, Mexican and Indian cuisine.

This weekend to kick off the burger season I think I will go basic with the classic burger and lettuce, tomato and onion.  Can’t wait.

At American Grass Fed Beef we are also excited about a new product which is a half-pound burger patty.  Though not for the faint and dainty, none of my boys are that, this will be an exciting new and convenient way to enjoy grass fed beef.  Not even on the website yet, look for it in the next week or so.

On Sunday a California meat company issued the largest beef recall in history.  This recall by Westland-Hallmark Meat Company in Chino, California comes after an undercover video by the Humane Society was distributed.  The video shows workers kicking, shocking, and pushing crippled and sick animals with forklifts. Some animals that were unable to stand even had water sprayed down their noses.  You can see this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OjhPVL48Ks&NR=1  and at https://community.hsus.org/campaign/CA_2008_investigation?qp_source=gaba89.

This certainly has been the age of beef recalls; each one seems to be bigger than those prior.  The Topps recall this year was huge but this current recall of 143 million pounds is the largest in history.  It is 4 times bigger than the previous record of 35 million pounds by Thorn Apple Valley in 1999.  Contamination of our food supply by E.coli 0157:H7 (the deadly pathogenic form) or salmonella have been in the news all year and certainly a source of concern.  There were 21 recalls due to E.coli 0157:H7 last year which in itself is significantly higher than the 8 in 2006 and 5 in 2005.  However, this current recall brings an already shaky red meat consumer to question the very core of the livestock industry.

Further, this time the recall is for beef harvested from downer cows which could pose a threat of mad cow disease.  A downer cow is one that though alive is not ambulatory prior to harvesting.  Symptoms of mad cow disease may present as showing neurological signs of ataxia and paralysis.   Slaughter of downer cows has not been allowed since the occurrence of the threat of mad cow disease.  It is prohibited to harvest an animal that cannot stand unless it is for reasons of an acute injury such as a broken leg.  But even then the USDA veterinary inspectors on hand are to pass judgment on these animals.  The USDA has strict rules under the 1958 Humane Slaughter Act as to the humane treatment of animals including downers. 

The current recall is considered a Class II recall, indicating that the chance of there actually being a health hazard is remote.  The USDA has explained that there is little health risk from this meat because the animals had passed ante-mortem inspection prior to going down.  In addition, the officials noted that it is required that the brains and spinal cords (called SRM – specified risk materials) from any of these animals would have been removed as required since it is believed that these are the areas most likely to harbor the disease and therefore would not have entered the food supply.  A Class I recall would indicate that consumption of the product would pose a serious health problem or death.  Such has been the case in some of the E.coli outbreaks.

Of great concern to many consumers and consumer advocate groups is the fact that nearly a quarter of all the recalled beef had been sent to the school lunch program and that most of it had already been consumed.  It has caused many of these groups to question the efficacy of our food safety system.  These groups charged that the USDA should do a better job of ensuring that questionable beef does not enter our food chain.

While consumers, beef industry spokesmen, processing industry spokespersons and producers all agree that the in-humane actions of workers at this particular facility are to be condemned the question is posed by many as to whether this is just an extraordinary and egregious incident or if it is indicative of a larger, industry-wide problem.  Of consumers and customers who contact us through our website one frequently asked question has to do with the manner in which we slaughter our animals and whether it is humane.  Many consumers come to grassfed and pasture raised meats that are sourced directly from small-scale family farms for the health benefits and safety issues.  However, the umbrella of interest in pasture based agriculture goes beyond these attributes to include those folks who are not opposed to eating meat but want to make absolutely sure that the livestock is cared for, transported and harvested in a humane manner.  Additionally, there are some who come for the environmental issues. 

For this reason, we decided some time ago to have third party verification of our humane pastured raised management at the farm, when the animals are transported and when they go through the harvest process.  We are very proud to have passed two humane audits.  We bear a certificate of approval from the American Humane Association as well as Steritech.  We feel that this gives extra assurance to our customers that we are passionate about the well being of our animals.

My advice to consumers who are concerned about this revelation of animal abuse at a facility in California not extend the judgment to all animal harvesting facilities.  The proverbial, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath...” need not apply and the consumer stop eating meat altogether.  Please continue to enjoy the health benefits of beef but investigate from where it is sourced.  Choose small-scale family farms that personally care for their animals on open pastures.  Choose meats that are processed in third party audited facilities where the humane treatment is a priority.

  

 

 

 

“Grass fed” is not at this time legally defined.  The USDA did publish for comment a standard in May 2006 which if it passes into regulation will establish a grass fed standard.  This definition would allow the “Grass fed” label to be applied to animals whose energy/feed source for 99% of their life time has been from forage and herbage and no grain.  Simply put,” Grass fed” refers to those ruminants born, raised and finished on grass and forage (herbaceous plant material).  This minimal proposal by the USDA addresses the feeding practice only.

 Grass fed producers organized under the American Grassfed Association want the label “Grassfed” to mean the following primary points:
• Animals raised and finished 100% on a forage diet
• No antibiotics
• No synthetic growth hormones
• No grain or grain by-products
• No animal by-products
• Never confined or fed in a CAFO, but raised on pasture

“Organic” can only be used in meat that has been raised under the regulations from the USDA’s National Organic Program Standards and by farms that have been inspected to assure compliance.  Though the USDA certifies the various 3rd party entities that do the certification inspections they (USDA) have ownership of the term “USDA Organic”.  These standards for meat exclude the use of antibiotics, hormones, animal by-products and require that the animal be fed from sources of feed that are at least 70% organic and include no GMO.  Further, organic cannot use artificial fertilizers or pesticides on the grass.  However, a skirting of the standard as it refers to access to pasture has allowed meat and dairy products to be labeled organic which are raised in CAFO’s and simply fed organic feed and grain.  This has caused many consumers to lose faith in the strict meaning of organic.  The program relies on the credibility of the certifiers who do the inspections of the farms.  Much criticism has been logged concerning the effectiveness of certifiers in foreign countries responsible for qualifying producers to the USDA for approval and being able to label products as “Organic”.

According to the USDA, "Natural" may be used on the label when products contain "no artificial ingredients and are no more than minimally processed."  In effect, all fresh meat in the USA qualifies as “Natural” under the current USDA definition.  As a result producers and marketers who use this label try to further define what they in particular mean by “Natural”.  Most in the general public link in their mind the idea that natural meats are raised without the use of antibiotics and synthetic hormones.  Since these product attributes help to define what that particular producer means by “Natural” the sharp consumer needs to look for their inclusion on the label.  Unless a label specifies that it is produced without using antibiotics or synthetic hormones, which are additional claims under AMS/FSIS rules, then I think the consumer should assume that the product was raised including both.

 Many referrals come to American Grass Fed Beef through health care providers; these include physicians of internal medicine, wellness/preventative medicine, cardiologists, oncologists, nurses, naturopathic physicians, etc.  The choice to eat red meat for many is a conscious, researched and even sociological decision that is a part of many consumers’ efforts to live healthier lifestyles.

 One of the most compelling stories I have heard was from a customer who called our company in the winter of 2001 from New York City .  Her husband was a fire fighter who had endured the World Trade Center on September 11 and afterwards.  They both were receiving counseling and wellness training as healing for both body (exposed to toxins) and spirit (exposed to a horrific experience).  As a part of this instruction it was recommended they detoxify their bodies and to limit where possible any future exposure to potential toxins.  Grass fed Beef was recommended as part of their dietary changes.

Our bodies have remarkable ability to heal if provided the right building materials.  Red meat with out added synthetic hormones, antibiotics, pesticide exposure, herbicide exposure and fed a vegetarian diet they are design to eat makes for a great protein.