The packaging tells me that it is certified USDA Organic, free-range, grass fed cattle. But where does it come from? A quick read through their website provided all the information that I needed to know. Their FAQ section poses the question, "Is the organic beef found at Costco 100% grass fed?" The answer is as follows:
"The Verde Farms organic ground beef sold at Costco is a blend of Australian organic grass-fed, pasture raised beef with US or Canadian organic beef most likely finished on organic grains. While the majority of the blend is made with Australian beef, our long term goal is to make the product 100% grass-fed."
I have to give some praise to Verde Farms for being so open and honest about their products and I was very happy to find this information readily available. Moving on to the section of their website that discusses their sources of beef (Uruguay, Australia and US/Canada) I found that all of their cattle are free-range and 100% organic, meaning that the pastures do not use pesticides/chemicals and any grain feed used is also organic. Personally it would make me feel even better if all of the meat came from the US, to be as local as possible, but this is great news about Verde Farms! I love what they're doing and their ground beef IS delicious and will continue to go from their pastures, to Costco, to my tummy.
The second meat that made the switch over to a more environmentally conscious choice was chicken. I found this chicken being sold under the brand name Pine Manor at Whole Foods.
From their packaging I can tell that these chickens were all vegetable fed and were raised with no antibiotics/growth stimulants, no animal by-products and no hormones. The label also gives me a little hint as to where they came from by saying, "Raised in Free To Roam barns in Indiana/Michigan Amish country." Still, I did some additional research mainly to find out what a "free to roam" barn means. In the About section of their website I found the answer to my question as follows:
"Miller Poultry [Pine Manor is also known as Miller Poultry] chickens are raised primarily by Amish families in smaller flocks. While they are free to roam within the chicken house, they are not "free-range" for several reasons. Free-range chickens are often found outdoors, where they are challenged by weather, disease and the risk of airborne contaminates. Baby chickens need to be warm and dry during the first two weeks of their life and could not survive the elements. Also older chickens would be under extreme stress in temperatures colder or warmer than ideal with our midwestern weather, which could lead to extreme stress or even cause death. Miller chickens are raised in a stress-free environment where they have access to fresh water and feed with natural light and ventilation and are free to roam within the chicken house on open floors. The chickens are cared for by peace loving Amish families."
Once again I'm very happy that this detailed information is publicly available. Furthermore, there is a second label on the Pine Manor chicken that I purchased.
I had never seen this label before and I did not know what the Global Animal Partnership was so I decided to check it out. It turns out that they are a non-profit organization in charge of the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program. Each step reached represents the level of animal welfare achieved by the farmer and the ratings are third-party certified. Their website breaks down the step ratings as follows:
"In essence Step 1 prohibits cages and crates. Step 2 requires environmental enrichment for indoor production systems; Step 3 outdoor access; Step 4 pasture-based production; Step 5, an animal-centered approach with all physical alteration prohibited; and finally Step 5+, the entire life of the animal is spent on an integrated farm."
Ideally, I would like some Step 5+ chicken! But I don't want to diminish the efforts of Pine Manor, because I do believe that what they are doing is appropriate in the situation. Meaning, because of the climate the chickens cannot be kept outdoors, but they are not in cages and they do receive natural light and ventilation. It's also nice to know that this is being verified by a third party.
I still buy flank steak, sausages and bacon that are conventionally farmed and the more I learn about the way these animals are farmed the sicker it makes me feel. I've made the switch to environmentally friendly and healthier choices for ground beef and chicken. Steak, sausage and bacon are definitely next on the list and I will update you with what I find!
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