The standards aren't great but they're a starting point

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has established voluntary standards for grass (forage) fed marketing claims. The press release, dated October 15, 2007 follows:

AMS No. 178-07

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998

jimmie.turner@usda.gov

USDA ESTABLISHES GRASS (FORAGE) FED MARKETING CLAIM STANDARD

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2007 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture today issued a voluntary standard for grass (forage) fed marketing claims. The standard will be published as a Notice in the Federal Register and is titled the U.S. Standard for Livestock and Meat Marketing Claim, Grass (Forage) Fed Claim for Ruminant Livestock and the Meat Products Derived from Such Livestock.

The grass fed standard states that grass and/or forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage and animals cannot be fed grain or grain by-products and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) works with industry representatives and others to establish or revise U.S. standards for nearly 240 agricultural products. Industry uses the standards in the marketplace to specify the quality of commodities. Standards facilitate commerce by providing a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of agricultural products.

Increasingly, livestock and meat producers are using production or processing claims to distinguish their products in the marketplace. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, through its voluntary certification and audit programs, verifies the accuracy of these claims. The proposed standard will establish the minimum requirements for those producers who choose to operate a USDA-verified program involving a grass (forage) fed claim.

The standard will be published in the Oct. 16, 2007, Federal Register. Copies of the proposal and more information are available by accessing the Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/claim.htm; from Martin E. O'Connor, AMS Livestock and Seed Programs, Room 2607--S, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0254; or by calling (202) 720-4486.

These standards do not address the confinement issue

Under the new standards, it is still allowable to feed forage in confinement for months on end, maintaining the same old industrial confinement model. When shopping for grass fed beef, be sure that you buy beef that was raised on pastures and meadows, not in confinement.

They also don't address the use of hormones or antibiotics

Another concern the health-wise shopper has with meat and dairy products is the use of growth and milk production stimulating hormones, as well as the use of antibiotics, both low level in feed and therapeutic treatment.

The grass fed standards don't address those issues, but the producer can claim no added hormones and no antibiotics on their label if they obtain USDA approval. The claim of natural is also under review.

The good thing is it prohibits grain finishing

The health benefits of eating grass fed come from the finishing, which is the fattening for the last 90 to 160 days before slaughter, and before the USDA standards were established some producers were claiming grass fed in their advertising, but actually finishing their animals on grain.

It's still best to know your producer

While the new standards aren't great, at least they cover the most important issue in the grass fed claim, that of grain finishing. While they don't address issues like confinement, the use of hormones or antibiotics, or the quality of the forage, it is a starting point, but it is still up to the consumer to really research the production methods of the producers they buy from.

You can read more comments about the USDA standards at Jo Robinson's web site: Eat Wild.