By Mindy Pennybacker
Sure, it's more eco-friendly to eat primarily vegetarian, but if you love your meat too much, make your next feast greener by sourcing the highest quality, healthiest meat. In our book, that means sustainably and humanely produced.
Most conventional U.S. beef cattle are given antibiotics, which contribute to drug-resistant bacteria in people, and growth hormones, which are being studied for possible links to cancer. The air and water pollution caused by conventional animal factory farm's manure lagoons is unhealthy for humans and aquatic creatures alike. And, long before the first U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalogy (BSE) or "mad cow," was found in 2003, we've felt squeamish at the thought of the animal protein that goes into conventional cattle feed because this is the way that BSE spreads.
To be safer and more sure, here are some labels to look for in supermarkets and online. If you want to know an animal had a quality life, note that "free range" is an unverified term. You can also buy local meat at your nearest farmers' market; if it's not labeled, ask the farmers whether they follow the sustainable animal husbandry methods listed below.
American Grassfed Association: Cows eat grass, period, and standards require they spend most of their lives outside in the pasture. Meat from animals that have received antibiotics cannot have the label.
Animal Welfare Approved: On this label, which is exclusive to family farms, cows eat grass, corn or grain, but not animal protein. Only sick animals get antibiotics (but they do stay in the program). They are required to live mostly out in the fields.
USDA Organic: Cows may eat only 100 percent certified organic grass, corn or grain; if fed antibiotics, they are removed from the label program. They're required to have "access" to pasture, but this is not clearly defined the way it is with the two labels above.
Certified Humane: Animals only eat grass, corn or grain; oddly for a humane label, pasture time is not required; only sick animals get antibiotics, but they aren't removed from the program.
Food Alliance Certified: Animals are fed grass, corn and grain, never animal proteins, except for dairy products given to hogs. Pasturage is not required. Antibiotics only go to sick animals.This label's plus is that it requires animals be slaughtered humanely, in the least painful and frightening way.
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