Cutting down on meat consumption--any advice on responsible sources of food?

Question

I asked this question in the vegetarian section too, but I'll try here as well. Ok, folks, with the help of the recent slaughterhouse video from the HSUS, I've decided to cut back on my already-low meat consumption. I can't give up meat completely yet, as I really enjoy it. But, I want to make sure I get it from responsible sources. So, I need your help. Does meat labeled "organic" mean it's entirely free range, or do I need to look for free range labels as well. I already get my eggs from a small local farm, so I've got that down. I just want to make sure I get chicken and beef from farms that treat their animals humanely. I also want to make sure my milk, cheese, and seafood come from responsible places as well. Do you have suggestions or advice? Thanks so much.

Answer 1

The USDA does not require any animal lifestyle requirements be met for a product to be marked as organic.  Organic meat is not necessarily free-range.  However, it does mean that the animals were not injected with growth hormones and fed organically grown feed.

Answer 2

long story short... in the u.s. "organic" according to government means it must be only 75% organic to be labeled organic. if you think animal abuse video is bad, what do you think about CLONED meat?  don't forget the usda recently announced publicly that "cloned meat (cows & pigs) are now considered healthy to eat." they also use cloned human blood on unconcious patients in hospitals around the u.s. WITHOUT THE PATIENT'S CONSENT.

remember, the usda does NOT work for you.

go to the farm & ask the farmer if they use bovine hormones, etc. see for yourself if the animals look happy & energetic.if they look sluggish or unhappy, RUN! also ask how old the animals are. without hormones, etc. it should take at least 2 years for them to become full grown. the hormones speed up the aging process & EVERYTHING that goes into the animal also goes into YOU!

have-a-loving-day!

Answer 3

Organic means that it will cost u moor. I have had heart problems and cut back on my meats. I found TOFU does a fair job and will accept almost any flavor. It also has no sodium.

     Make sure all meets are well done as amoebas are just protean if well done.

Answer 4

Big business lobbyists have done their job and labeling no longer means anything.    "Free range" chicken means they get outside once in awhile.   They do not have to have room to move more than an inch.   Go to the local farm where you get the eggs and ask for a tour (or to help out a little).   You'll get a good idea of how the animals are treated and weather or not you'd want to consume them.   Chicken that is actually allowed to wander around the yard eating bugs and grass tastes so much better than the store c**p you'll be surprised.   They might be happy to get rid of their layers after the chickens productive life is over.   Might be a little tougher, but definitely better for you.

Answer 5

There are sets of rules for what it means when food is labeled organic.  For meat, it generally means what the animal was fed.

It has nothing to do with whether the animal was allowed to run around loose or how it was killed. There are differences in organic as well.  Some people say their products are "organic" but there are other things that are actually "certified organic" by groups that inspect the farms and slaughterhouses.

For meats, you will see the designations "natural," "pastured," "cage-free," "free-range," "sustainable" and "humanely-raised." There are others terms as well.  Some of these are defined by the USDA and others are sort of Red Queen - it means what we say it means. Be skeptical.



All of the animals are dead and dismembered when you buy them.  You have to learn a lot about agriculture to know all the details and whether people are using terminology correctly when they describe the farming practices that got that animal to you.  A lot of it is hype and marketing.

The source of the video was suspect. It was intended to elicit exactly the response you had,.

Farmers would be stupid to abuse animals that provide their income and slaughterhouses know that they are inspected constantly and cannot operate in that fashion.  It is possible  that the video was staged just as one was several years ago against Food Lion.

Answer 6

I'm a small farmer.  I raise meat goats, and meat rabbits.  My customers come directly to my farm, and slaughter here.  However I realize that you probably have no desire at all to slaughter your own food.

I am cutting and pasting this from a question I answered, which also answers your question about organic, and free range chickens.  The person who's question I was answering was asking about antibiotic use in livestock (I don't feel like re-typing all of this):

Commercially raised "free range" chickens, well they are a joke, and of course commercial producers have come up with ways to meet consumer demand.

The commercial producers had rules written so the "free range organic" chickens could be kept inside for the first 6 weeks of their life, under the therory they are too small, and might catch a chill.

So for the first six weeks of their life, they are raised exatly the same as any other mass produced chicken. In giant, overcrowded chicken houses. Only difference is they are reciving no antibiotics in their feed, so the producers pray they will not contract a disease, and of course they keep them in chicken houses that were very nearly sterile when they first put the chicks in. They also only go into the chicken houses in bio-suits, and walk through foot baths. Those chickens have no immune systems....they are just trying to make sure they have no germs/disease introduced.

Then at the end of the first 6 weeks of their life, they become "free range." The little door to the chicken house is opened, so the chickens can take their first steps out onto the ground, and have access to sunshine, grasss, bugs, and room to roam. Except chickens are suspicious creatures and creatures of habbit. The producers know perfectly well that by the time a chicken reaches 6 weeks of age it's habbits are completely ingrained. The chicken knows where the food and water are....inside the chicken house. So the "free range" chickens NEVER set foot outside, even though the little door is open! At eight weeks of age, they are done growing, and sent off for slaughter (that's how fast they grow). They have never set foot outside...not even once....so much for "free range organic" chicken.

Instead of trying to build up herds and flocks with strong immune systems commercial producers are doing the exact opposite. They are taking extreme messures to make sure no germs or disease are introduced to the livestock.

Before the next flock of chicks are put in the chicken house, it will be stripped and sterilized. Oh yes, they will also mow the grass in their free range area.

Things like this are also done for the larger animals, like cattle and pigs. Completely pathetic.

**************************************...

End of my cut and paste.  The only way to honestly make sure your meat was treated humanely during its life, and during slaughter is to find a small farmer you can do business with.  

Please post what state you live in, and I can tell you what the dairy laws are in your state.  The only humane milk you can buy comes directly from a small farmer, directly from their farm.  The stuff in the grocery store was not treated humanely, no matter what the lable states.  Organic milk cows are never stepping foot on pasture....they are just having organic feed brought to their nose.  

I might be able to tell you if your state has laws favoring buyer/seller relationships between small farmers and customers.  If you live in North Carolina (and a few others) you are just screwed.

For your seafood, you need to read the lable.  Do not buy ANY seafood that was produced in any countries other than the U.S., or Canada.  80% of seafood which is farm raised is now coming from over seas, from countries like China.  Only a miniscule amount of the seafood that comes in, is ever tested by the FDA.  Out of the tiny amount of the seafood they do test, only 1% (1 out of 100) pass inspection.  All the rest is rejected because of contamination, from pesticides, to heavy metals, to sewage.  You seafood should ONLY come from Canada, or the U.S.A.

You need to start shopping your local farmers market too.  Depending on where you live, farmers markets are often seasonal.  Yours may not start up until spring or summer.  If your town does not have one, call your local chamber of commerce and ask "why not?"  Call your mayors office too.

I'm a small farmer...I'm deeply involved in the humane, and healthy foods you desire. More questions?  Ask away, and I'll check back and respond.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 7

Organic has nothing to do with how the animal is slaughtered, nor does free range.  I believe to be organic, the animal has to consume no animal biproducts, and not given hormones or antibiotics.  Free range means they just run around and aren't kept in restrictive quarters.  In order to get meat which was humanely slaughtered, I suggest looking for kosher meat, but it will be very tough finding organic kosher.

Oh yeah, and about replacing meats:  Eat eggs, legumes, and any other kind of protein-rich food as well as iron-rich greens (spinach, romaine lettuce), since those are the big nutrients you'll be cutting back on.  And take a multivitamin.

Answer 8

Try going to a farmers' market. I used to get meat raised locally on a small farm. I don't think that they were officially organic (tricky to pull off if there are invaisive weeds around), but they were definitely free range, small scale, non-factory meat. And was it ever tasty! Too bad I moved.

Answer 9

Don't eat it unless your willing to kill it yourself.