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Agriculture and Food
"When the planes still swoop down and aerial spray a
field in order to kill a predator insect with pesticides, we are in the Dark Ages of
commerce.
~ Paul Hawken
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The Truth Behind Meat Labels
Union of Concerned Scientists
May, 2010
http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips
Most food animals are raised in crowded CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations)
and fed grain grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To promote faster growth and compensate for
unhealthy conditions, CAFOs add antibiotics to animal feed—accounting for about 70 percent of all antibiotics
and related drugs used in the United States. This overuse of antibiotics leads to the development of
antibiotic-resistant diseases that are more difficult and expensive to treat.
You can avoid contributing to these problems by reducing your meat consumption and purchasing meat produced
in a more environmentally friendly manner. The best way to know how your meat was produced is to buy from
local farmers who can tell you about their practices directly. Labels on meat products should ideally convey
the same information, but marketers make many claims that do not carry equal weight. Here are just a few you
may encounter in supermarket aisles.
Best: Labels with strong, verifiable claims
Certified Organic. This label, regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and
verified by independent auditors, indicates that animals were raised without antibiotics or growth hormones
and given only certified organic feed (i.e., grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides). Livestock
must also have year-round access to the outdoors and be on pasture at least 120 days, and a minimum percentage
of their food must come from pasture.
Good: Labels with meaningful claims, but lacking comprehensive verification
Grass-fed. The “USDA Process Verified Grass Fed” label indicates that cattle and other
ruminant animals were fed only grass, hay, and other forages and had continuous access to the outdoors
during the growing season. A “grass-fed” label that does not include the words “USDA Process Verified”
means the producer’s claim was evaluated by the USDA but not verified by the agency through on-site inspection.
No Antibiotics/Raised without AntibioticsM. Indicates that animals never received antibiotics. (Meat
from animals that received antibiotic treatment for illness cannot be sold with this label.) This claim is
approved by the USDA based on documentation provided by the producer.
Buyer beware. Several labels, despite being considered “truthful” by the USDA, can be misleading to
consumers. They are based on information provided by the producer and are not necessarily subject to independent
audit, though they may be certified by state agencies, grocery stores, or other companies or nonprofit
organizations.
Vegetarian Feed. Indicates that animals were not fed animal by-products. However, meat
from cattle fed an unnatural grain-based diet could also receive this label.
Free-Range/Free-Roaming. Indicates that poultry had access to the outdoors—but does not guarantee that
they actually ventured outside or had access to pasture. __– Natural/All-Natural. These labels pertain to meat
processing, and give no indication of how the animals were raised. Some producers use labels like “naturally
raised” to refer to how they raised their animals, but these are approved on a case-by-case basis and are not
subject to a consistent USDA standard.
Free-Range/Free-Roaming. Indicates that poultry had access to the outdoors—but does not guarantee that
they actually ventured outside or had access to pasture. __– Natural/All-Natural. These labels pertain to meat
processing, and give no indication of how the animals were raised. Some producers use labels like “naturally
raised” to refer to how they raised their animals, but these are approved on a case-by-case basis and are not
subject to a consistent USDA standard.
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