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Grass-Fed Goodness
I try to write a monthly article that talks about what is going on
out here in Bastrop, Fayette and Lee counties with our ranchers and
rural life.
However, this month, I would like to touch on something that I think
affects all of us, especially those of us who are concerned about
our food. Many of you who visit this website do so because you are
interested in sustainable, local agriculture. You are concerned about
what the large agro-industry is doing to our food and the affect that
is having on both our health and the environment.
In a small way, as all of us ask more questions about origin and nutrition
and seek out food that is honestly labeled, the situation is becoming
better. Unfortunately, the movement back to truly nutritional, local
food is not being helped by either big corporate food companies or
our own federal government!
As all of you know who buy Bastrop Cattle Company meat, we pride ourselves
on being able to tell you from the time the calf is born until the
meat is delivered to you, what the calf has eaten, how it lived, where
it lived, how the meat was processed and handled and how it came to
you. Our label of natural, grass fed, free-range is an honest label
backed up by a monitoring program required by the State of Texas. All
our meat is inspected – every single carcass – and when we say there
are no hormones and/or antibiotics in our meat, you know it is the
truth.
Unfortunately, the US Department of Agriculture is in the process
of making it far harder for anyone who wishes to rely solely on a
label to know what is natural and what is grass fed and, even, what
is hormone and antibiotic free.
The USDA has proposed a Natural, Grass-Fed label that will allow large
producers to use antibiotics and hormones in feeding their animals,
feedlot them (not free range as is currently the requirement) and
even feed these animals grains such as corn. This meat will bear the
Natural, Grass-Fed label.
The reason for all of this is that large producers of beef want a
share of the growing market for healthy meat. They have large investments
in enormous feed lots and access to low cost corn. They don’t want
to loose their capital investments, so they need the government to
give them some kind of cover so that they can continue to sell the
same old beef but under a new label.
The American Grass-fed Association currently is pressing litigation
to block this change in labeling. But whatever happens, you the consumer
need to be aware of what is going on behind close doors.
For now, the only way you can truly be sure of what you are getting
when you buy a piece of meat is to buy local and directly from sources
that have to answer to you on a one-on-one bases.
Now, naturally, Bastrop Cattle Company wants that business. But there
are many other natural, grass-fed, no antibiotic, no hormone beef
producers in Central Texas, and BCC wants to encourage you to seek
them out. If you can’t buy from us, buy from them.
Betsy Ross is in Granger and she sells both directly and through People’s
Drugstores in Austin. She also sells through Whole Foods. Coyote Creek
is in Elgin. It is organic and sells directly. Indian Hills is in
Smithville. They sell natural, grass-fed directly and at Wheatsville. I
am sure there are more, but this is a start. These are honest ranchers
who take pride, like BCC, in raising animals the way nature meant
them to be raised – in the pasture, eating grass. They take pride
in being honest with you, the consumer.
For this movement to grow, we the producers need you, the consumer
to make that effort to buy local, sustainable, healthy food. It is
the best for everyone – except perhaps for the big agro-industry!
Don’t forget, you can always buy from us direct or through Wheatsville
Coop and Greenling or Cissi's Market in Austin.
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