7/21/06
Since 2002 a variety of groups advocating for sustainable farming and healthy food have been working with the USDA to develop strong, meaningful meat label standards for (1) grass-fed meat, (2) free range, (3) antibiotic free, and (4) no added hormones. In May, the USDA proposed a grass-fed meat-labeling claim, the first of the four standards. A public comment period ending August 10 is required before a final grass-fed meat label is established.

While grass-based livestock systems have many positive aspects, it is important to recognize that “grass-fed meat” has a very particular meaning for a growing number of consumers. There is mounting evidence that eating grass-fed meat provides health benefits to humans and that consuming a very small amount of grain impedes a ruminant animal’s ability to deliver those health benefits. The proposed USDA standard is a strong standard. It is extremely important to the farmers and ranchers who have pioneered the skills and techniques to produce high quality grass-fed meat, and to the people who want to purchase it, that we comment in support of this standard.

USDA needs to hear from you! If you are a farmer or rancher who produces grass-fed meat; a consumer who wants a label s/he can trust; or someone who believes the USDA ought to support and recognize innovative farmers and ranchers who worked to develop this growing market, submit comments today. It is critical we let USDA know through comment letters that we support the proposed grass-fed meat-labeling claim and they need to adopt it.

Comment letters can be short and simple. They can be e-mailed, faxed or mailed. The important thing is that USDA hears from as many of us as possible in support of this standard. Please check out the fact sheet below for details and contact information. And, when you’ve sent your message, please either call or e-mail me so I can track the comments this effort is generating.

Thanks for taking a few moments to weigh in on this with the USDA, and for all you do in support of healthy food and family farms. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.

Sincerely,

Terry VanDerPol,
Land Stewardship Project
320-269-2105; tlvdp@landstewardshipproject.org

If you produce and market grass-fed meat, you understand how important high standards for what is called “grass-fed” is to your customers. Please consider sharing this opportunity to comment to the USDA with your customers.

FACT SHEET: Commenting on the Proposed
USDA Grass-Fed Standard

Background: For the purpose of this claim, forage is any edible, herbaceous plant material, other than separated grain, that can be grazed or harvested for feeding. This claim applies to ruminant animals whose sole energy/feed source throughout their life span is derived from grass (annual and perennial), forbs (legumes, brassicas), browse, forage, or stockpiled forages. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, ensilage and post-harvest crop residue without separated grain may also be included in the feeding regime. Consumption of seeds naturally attached to herbage, forage and browse or grain in the immature stage is acceptable. Grass and/or forage must be 99 percent or higher of the energy source consumed by the animal during its lifetime, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. Very limited supplementation (i.e., less than 1 percent of the total energy consumed during the animal's lifetime) due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal's well being at all times during adverse environmental/physical conditions is permissible. Additionally, routine mineral and vitamin supplementation is permissible.

USDA Claim and Standard: Grass (Forage) Fed—Grass (annual and perennial), forbs (legumes, brassicas), browse, forage, or stockpiled forages, and post-harvest crop residue without separated grain shall be at least 99 percent of the energy source for the lifetime of the ruminant specie, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. Routine mineral and vitamin supplementation may also be included in the feeding regimen. Grass (forage) fed claims will be verified, as provided in 7 CFR part 62, by a feeding protocol that confirms a grass or forage-based diet that is 99 percent or higher.

Additional information and background can be found at http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/st-pubs.htm. Click on “Notice: Request for Comments.” You can also view comments others have made on this site.

Comment period closes on August 10, 2006
Include Docket # LS-05-09 on all comments

Mail comments to: Martin E. O’Connor, Chief Standardization Branch
Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA
Room 2607-S
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-0254

Fax comments to: 202-720-1112

E-mail comments to: marketingclaim@usda.gov

Comment on the web: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main

If you have additional questions or would like a copy of the Federal Register Notice on the grass-fed meat labeling claim contact Land Stewardship Project organizer Terry VanDerPol by telephone 320-564-1877 or e-mail tlvdp@landstewardshipproject.org.

Land Stewardship Project strongly encourages grass-based farmers, consumers and distributors of grass-fed meat and retail venues to comment on the proposed standard. Comment letters can be short or long. But, they need to be mailed, e-mailed or faxed by August 10. Here are a few points you might want to include in your comments

• USDA should be thanked for coming out with a strong standard for labeling grass-fed meat. The original standard, proposed in 2002 required only 80 percent grass and forage. In response to the critical feedback they received, the USDA Marketing Service pulled the original proposed standard and gathered further input. The revised 99 percent standard is a huge improvement.

• Consumers who choose grass-fed meat need to be confident the product labeled “grass-fed” was produced with integrity resulting in a product with desirable levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and Omega-3 fatty acids. Consumers have a right to expect that USDA labels have integrity. And there is mounting evidence that meat from grass-fed animals is healthy. See, for example, the Union of Concerned Scientists’ recent “Greener Pastures” report by Kate Clancy (http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/sustainable_food/greener-pastures.html).

• Farmers and ranchers who produce grass-fed meat have been diligent about developing the technique and skill to produce a high quality product. Grass-fed meat sales in the U.S. approached $120 million in sales last year and the producers who developed this market deserve to reap its benefits. A strong standard, such as the one proposed, will keep faith with the high standards of the sustainable farmers and ranchers who pioneered this effort.

• While the proposed standard sets a high (99 percent) standard for consumption of grass and forage, it does not require grazing. Clearly, consumers who purchase grass-fed meat do not envision animals crowded in a feedlot being fed harvested forages during the grazing season. USDA-AMS argues for the separation of standards about what the livestock are fed (grass and forage), from standards about how they are fed (free-range). (See page 2764 of the Federal Register referenced above.) While there are valid reasons for taking this approach, it is now urgent that a strong and clear rule on claims of free range or pasture raised is developed.

Thanks for taking the time to make comments to the USDA on this
proposed meat labeling standard. It is extremely important that USDA
knows people care about the standards for labeling meat “grass-fed.”

Please let me know when you have submitted your comments.
Terry VanDerPol: 320-269-2105 or tlvdp@landstewardshipproject.org.

 

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