— To the Editor: Confused about beef labeling? You ought to be even more so after reading the commentary with that title written by State Beef Council Director John Moon in the March 5/12 issue of The Land.
Most of what he wrote is true, but what he does not tell you is the rest of the story. To be a certified organic grower of beef requires traceability of all the practices and inputs used on the farm to grow your beef. All this is third-party inspected.
As for the science to prove that it is a healthier product, it is out there if one searches for it. This science is not funded by multinational, multibillion-dollar industries like the research alluded to by Mr. Moon so it is not readily publicized. Unlike the label “organic” — which requires you to be certified — the perception of what is “natural” has definitely been highjacked and is a totally misused and maligned at the meat counter.
Mr. Moon’s assertion that grain and grass forage are of the same plant and therefore there is really no distinction also has some truth to it, until you research what effect grain feeding versus forage feeding does to the pH of the bovines’ stomachs. This altering of the pH causes the omega 3-omega 6 ratio to become unbalanced. (Research Extension Series 161:1-5, Koizumi, I., Y. Suzuki, et al. (1991). Fatty acid composition J Nutr SCi Vitaminol (Tokyo) 37(6):545-54.) An easy read of these studies and more can be found by reading “The Omega Diet” authored by Jo Robinson with collaboration by Artemis P. Simopoulos.
The grass-fed animal should indeed have a slightly different flavor than the grain-fattened. The toughness in the muscle could be the result of an animal that has worked out by having to walk for its food. Think of the kid who spends more time in front of the TV and computer than playing games that involve the use of arms and legs. Which kid will grow up to be the football player? Which kid will have hardened muscles and who will be a softy?
The grass farmer is learning and improving on his product all the time and new studies and up-to-date eating tests are showing that grass-fed beef can be as well-marbled and as tender as grain-finished beef if produced right — and it will be preferred by the taster.
It takes a really good and knowledgeable grazier to do this. It is not like having to push a button and the cattle are fed. A grazier has to be on top of his game at all times to consistently raise a high-quality product. Sadly, there is a lot of poor quality grass-fed product because in a fledgling industry the pioneers have a lot to learn. It says a lot of the consumer who consistently puts up with the quality variances because of the economic, environmental and social benefits he or she hopes to see. Those who search out and consistently buy grass-fed beef are generally well educated and people with a mission.
The one statement of Mr. Moon’s that I strongly disagree with is that “No science, however, proves that one is any more safe, nutritious, or healthy than the other.” The science is there but not well-publicized because the big CEOs, and the corporations they head, see no profit in this research.
He also wrote, “It has been said that misstatements, if said over and over enough, become accepted as the truth” I am sure that is a truth well-studied by the big packers and their corporate allies. The bright spot is that people, the consumers, are getting fed up of the same old hollow statements. That is why the grass-fed industry is starting to get the notice, and the ire, of the powers-that-be in the industrialized food industry.
Their answer is more misstatements and half-truths and that is why one sees more and more such commentaries and letters like Mr. Moon’s in papers such as The Land.
What is the consumer to do?
A lot of them are starting to buy local. They want to know the whos, hows and wheres of their food. These idealistic consumers know that every dollar they spend determines how the food of the world is grown and how farmers care for the land. In the end we were all born to be caretakers of the Earth and how the farmer cares for his plot of land is ultimately determined by how the consumer’s money is spent.
Do we continue on the path of “bigger is better” or do we support the dawning of a new age of socially responsible agriculture, a new agricultural system that is both environmentally and economically enhancing? Will a new culture be supported that adds to, not subtracts from, the happiness of all? Will we join the grassroots movement to bring on a culture that builds opportunities for the future or do we continue on the path that has led to the decline of our rural heritage and the health of our rural communities?
It all depends on how the money is spent.
One way many are becoming engaged is by demanding locally produced, grass-finished beef — and if it be grass-finished dairy beef, the economic benefits are even further enhanced.
Marty Primus
Fresh Air Farm
Whole Farm Co-op
Sauk Centre/Long Prairie
