Have you ever wondered what really goes into the meat production process? And which certifications and labels guarantee healthy beef and happy cows?
National Geographic examined six of the most common certifications for the meat products (i.e. USDA Organic Certified, USDA Certified Grass Fed, Animal Grassfed Association, Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane Raised and Handled and Food Alliance Certified) comparing them based on categories such as feed, access to pastures, use of antibiotics and growth hormones and animal welfare in general. The results were that the American Grassfed Association is, by far, the best certification and covers most of the issues.
For those of us who are concerned about quality of the meat and want to know more about where it comes from and what goes in it, here is a list of the categories and terms related to raising cattle:
- Feed—traditionally cattle are raised on a diet of corn and grain, which firstly, is not their natural diet and secondly, it contributes to painful health problems and can lead to higher levels of bacteria (e.g. E. coli) in the meat. Since grass is what cows eat naturally, it is healthier both for the animals and the consumers. The meat from cattle that’s been fed grass has less fat, less cholesterol and fewer calories. It also has more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Access to pastures—the term implies that eh animals spend most of their time outside in the meadows. However, some labels don’t define ‘access’ quite clearly, for example animals that spend only a fracture of a day outside or not at all (as it happens in extreme cases) may still be certified by some as having ‘access to pastures’. Look for labels that have specific definitions of the term, e.g. American Grassfed Association, Animal Welfare Approved or Food Alliance Certified.
- Use of antibiotics—conventional cattle are dosed with heavy amounts of antibiotics when they are sick and such overuse of antibiotics has been linked to a rise in drug-resistant bacteria.
- Use of growth hormones—2/3 of American cattle are injected with growth hormones to make them mature faster. Even though meat contains only traces of those hormones, it is still not very healthy (over an extended period of time) for humans, especially children. Additionally, agricultural waste that contains both the growth hormones and antibiotics ends up in waterways and poses a serious threat to reproductive capabilities of fish.
- Animal welfare— ill-treated and sick animals transmit diseases to meat products, and the waste from sick cows can pollute waterways. Some labels, like USDA Organic Certified, USDA Certified Grass Fed and American Grassfed Association have unclear criteria regarding animal welfare. However, others, e.g. Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane Raised and Handled and Food Alliance Certified provide very specific rules that guarantee animals’ health as well as clean and comfortable surroundings.
