USDA Unveils Grass-Fed Meat Label: Consumer Response Needed

By Will Fantle, Research Director, The Cornucopia Institute

Consumers could be big winners if a proposed new USDA standard for grass-fed livestock wins approval. Meat from animals fattened only in pastures -- receiving 99% of their energy from grass and forage -- would be able to use the agency's new grass-fed label. The grass-fed livestock label covers all ruminants, including cattle, goats, and sheep.

The USDA proposal is specific about what they mean by grass-fed, defining it as "grass (annual and perennial), forbs (legumes, brassicas), browse, forage, or stockpiled forages, and post-harvest crop residue without separated grain." The proposal makes an allowance for mother's milk fed to young animals prior to weaning. And minerals and vitamins are OK as part of the feeding regimen. The current rule-making draft replaces a highly controversial proposal that would have allowed cattle to be "finished" and fattened on corn, and in feedlots.

Many organic consumers and others seek grass-fed meat because of its distinct health advantages. According to a recent report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, meat from animals raised entirely on pasture is not only leaner but contains higher levels of beneficial substances that may fight cancer and strengthen the immune system. "When you eat grass-fed meat, you're getting beef with benefits," notes Dr. Kate Clancy, a nutritionist and senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists and author of Greener Pastures.

In particular, grass-fed meats contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids (also found in salmon and some other fish, as well as in flax and a few other seeds) and CLAs (conjugated linoleic acid), a beneficial class of omega-6 fatty acids. In animal studies, CLAs like those in grass-fed meat have been shown to protect against cancer.

The grass-fed approach has other pluses, as well. The animals live in conditions allowing them to exhibit their natural behavior, a circumstance that stands in marked contrast to the misery associated with penning thousands of animals into giant feedlots. Fed grains and standing in their own manure, the stressed feedlot animals are routinely administered antibiotics to fend off or treat diseases. Pastured animals can also improve soil quality. Their manure is spread about in amounts small enough to actually fertilize and not over whelm the soil while protecting ground and surface waters.

"The USDA's grass-fed initiative represents a dramatic improvement over their previous proposal," says Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for The Cornucopia Institute, a farmer advocacy and agricultural watchdog group. In 2002, the agency suggested that ruminants receiving 80% of their energy from grass and forage could qualify for the grass-fed label. That proposal was strongly condemned in public comments the USDA received from consumers, producer groups, nonprofit organizations, and academics.

Adds Kastel: "It's important for the public to contact the USDA and let the agency know that grass-fed means grass-fed. The USDA needs to hear that consumers want livestock raised in conditions that promote the animal's health, protect the environment, and produce meat products that contain the healthiest nutrients."

Public comments will be accepted by the USDA on or before August 10. They can be emailed to marketingclaim@usda.gov. Comments should refer to Docket No. LS-05-09. Written comments can be submitted to Martin E. O'Connor, Chief, Standardization Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, Room 2607-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0254. Alternatively, a FAX can be sent to (202) 720-1112. Background on the proposed grass-fed label regulations can be viewed at the USDA's website.

A sample letter supporting the USDA's "99%" grass-fed labeling policy can also be found in the Action Alert section of The Cornucopia Institute web site at www.cornucopia.org.