I am interested in true organic beef. Not just a label that somebody puts on (which, legally, doesn't mean much), but grass fed (not just "grass finished"), no hormones, no antibiotics, free roaming, etc.
I know a lot of you like SRF, but I couldn't find any of those words on their website.
Know of any such supplier? Do you have good experiences and quality with them?
I haven’t ordered from Coward Cow in a long while but grass fed beef was their main thing back then. Here is an example from their 100% grass fed page:;
Just auto-correct comedy. However there might be a little hint of a Freudian slip in there as I was turned off by some of their past behavior which economically damaged a lot of their former supplying ranchers and farmers.
Beef that is certified "organic" means it meets strict USDA requirements. I am not familiar with any on-line retailers that are certified organic. (There probably are some that I just don't know about.)
Most grass-fed beef is NOT organic, even if it is on pasture its entire life.
Among other things, to qualify as organic, the animal must eat only feed (forage/grass, roughage, and/or grain) that is certified organic.
Many beef producers (such as Fellers Ranch) do not use antibiotics or growth hormones, but that does not necessarily mean their cattle qualify as organic. Our cattle would not qualify as organic because we do not feed them 100% organic silage, haylage, and other feed.
Actually, the word ‘organic’ means a lot legally. It is illegal to label a product as organic if a farmer or rancher is not certified with an organic certifying agency, even if their practices meet all the requirements for organic certification.
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Actually, the word ‘organic’ means a lot legally. It is illegal to label a product as organic if a farmer or rancher is not certified with an organic certifying agency, even if their practices meet all the requirements for organic certification.
Illegal like driving 56 mph in a 55 zone? But what are the consequences for falsely labeling something organic, are they severe enough and more importantly are they enforced to the point that we as consumers can trust anything labeled organic?
I don't have statistics on enforcement, but the consequences can be severe. I am not as familiar with certification for beef, as I am for crops.
For crops, it takes 3 years to get certified. That means the farmer has to discontinue using herbicides and pesticides for three years (during which their yields go down significantly), before they can legally call their commodities "organic". Then, they have to hire and pay a third party to inspect and "audit" their operation on an annual basis.
If a producer has a field that gets tested and even a small part of it shows existence of prohibited chemicals, that entire field can be out of the program. It is very expensive to deal with.
Along with state and federal agencies, the purchasers of organic products can and will test the products they get from producers. (Imagine if a company like Dole or Hormel is marketing an organic product, and it comes out in the press that it was tested and found not to be organic.)
Thus, if something is labeled "organic" there is a high probability that it actually is organic. I am sure some people cheat, but that will eventually catch up to them. If nothing else, competitors will probably rat them out. There is typically a huge premium in price for being organic.
Now, the term "grass fed" is far different. Something labeled "grass fed" can mean many different things, and grass fed producers don't deal with audits and regulation the way "organic" producers do.
Thanks for the info. I am a dummy when it comes to farming, so forgive me...but is hay considered "grass"? If farmers were to give their cattle hay along with corn could they call them grass fed?
Huskee I am using the term "grass" as the same as with "hay". There are numerous different types and varieties. Probably a better term for me to have used is "forage" . . . meaning the animal is consuming something growing from the ground.
Also, no need to apologize. I probably know less about BBQ and grilling than 98 percent of the people here, and that is the purpose for the forum . .
P.S. If there is ever a vote for best Avatar, you get mine.
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