 Organic  Natural  Conventional

 Grass fed beef with strict restrictions  The USDA sets those strict restrictions and they are as follows  Cattle may not be given certain vitamins and minerals  Cattle are never given antibiotics or growth hormones  Cannot use conventional pesticides, fertilizers, or bio-engineering  Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where food is grown  Must use certified companies that handle and process food  Organic cattle must have access to pasture but most cattle in the US regardless of how they are raised, meet this criterion What is organic beef?

 Natural beef does not have an official standardized definition  The USDA sets only 3 restrictions  1. The product must be minimally processed  2. The product cannot contain any artificial ingredients  3. The product cannot contain any preservations  The USDA has no specific restrictions on management practices  Yet it sells for $.25 - $16 more per cwt on a live animal basis  The owner sets the restrictions  Consumers may feel they are getting a higher-quality local product, but is not always the case What is natural beef?

 AKA Grain finished beef  Cattle spend most of their lives in range pasture conditions feeding on forages (grass).  At months of age are moved to the feed yard where they receive a carefully balanced diet  Typically spend between days in the feed yard to get cattle to optimal weight right around 1,300lbs.  Corn is #1 grain used  Corn fed beef adds tenderness and rich flavor  Can also be considered natural as long as it reaches USDA’s 3 requirements  85% of all beef in U.S. is conventionally raised What is conventional beef?

 Nutritional Value  Animal Welfare  World Sustainability  Hormone Scare

 Organic doesn’t necesarily mean healthier  The USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food  Through 50 years of research there has been no evidence that organic farming is healthier   New research from Texas A&M University found that men who consumed corn-fed beef improved their cholesterol levels while men who consumed grass-fed beef experienced no change.  You will pay more for a typically smaller steak that is usually less marbled than conventional beef. Nutritional Value

 For both organic and conventional beef producers, animal welfare is a priority  A conventional farmer checks their cattle everyday to assure health throughout the herd  Antibiotics are used in conventional herds to treat only sick animals; just like you would treat your sick children  Cattle like eating grain and get nutrients from it that cannot be found in grass alone Animal Welfare

 Grain fed cows also have access to pasture and forages as well  People believe every calf is raised in a caged factory but according to the US Census, 97% of farms in the US are family owned  When you see cattle “crowded” pictures it is usually at the bunk at feeding time where they all come up and eat at the same time. Just like if you go to a school at lunch time in the cafeteria and all the students are sitting shoulder to shoulder eating their lunch. The picture cuts out all the space behind the bunk.  Cattle are natural herders so in most cases they have more room than required and simply would rather be around one another. Animal Welfare continued

 By 2050 the world population is projected to grow to over 9 Billion  Most cattle the aren’t fed in a feedlot require 226 days longer to finish  To Grass feed a calf it requires 2-20 acres. So let’s give 10 acres for every cow in the United States (100,000,000) that would cover nearly half of the nation.  According to NASS and data from the U.S. Census Bureau, between 1960 and 2007 the number of U.S. farms declined by more than 1.7 million, yet the U.S. population increased by 64 percent. In 1960, there were 3.9 million farms feeding a U.S. population of 183 million. In 2007, there were 2.2 million farms feeding an estimated population of 301 million.  A recent U of I study found that grass fed cattle produce more methane than grain fed cattle World Sustainability

  All meat has hormones   There have been 0 cases of sickness in humans due to cattle that have received antibiotics or growth hormones   The FDA has strict guidelines that cattle producers follow when using antibiotics and growth hormones including a rest period to get it out of their system   In beef, the implanted animals will produce meat that contains slightly more of the hormone estrogen (1.9 versus 1.3 nanograms per 3 ounce serving)   When hormones are eaten, they are digested, broken down and largely neutralized   A child’s body produces 50,000 nanograms of estrogen per day and an adult female (non-pregnant) will produce 480,000 nanograms of estrogen per day   There are 520 nanograms of estrogen in ice cream   It is human nature to be fearful of things we aren’t familiar with. So it is advisable to do some research before believing everything you hear or read Hormones Scare

 Organic beef typically is leaner but that also means less marbling which is what gives beef its flavor  Organic beef can have a good taste as all beef can, but follow careful cooking directions  Ground beef from grass fed cattle naturally contains more omega-3 fatty acids than from grain-fed cattle (three times as much), but is higher in saturated and trans fat according to a Texas A&M study. Neither is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids compared to fish though (Salmon contain 35 times more than beef).   A recent review did find that organic produce had fewer pesticide residues than conventional farming. However, there is no evidence that these low levels of pesticides present any health risk. The review found: The risk for contamination with detectable pesticide residues was lower among organic than conventional produce (risk difference, 30% [CI, −37% to −23%]), but differences in risk for exceeding maximum allowed limits were small.

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