by Dr. Joseph Mercola, Mercola:
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- More than 85% of the grass fed beef sold in the U.S. is not raised in the U.S., yet it’s labeled “Product of the USA.” As a result of a loophole in the labeling law, American farmers who produce grass fed beef are forced to compete against far less expensive imported grass fed beef
- In 2017, raising grass fed beef in Australia cost 59 cents per pound, whereas the cost per pound in the U.S. was $1.55 for large producers and as much as $4.26 per pound for a small farm
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- One of the reasons for this price discrepancy is the fact that countries like Australia and New Zealand have relatively temperate weather year-round. As a result, their cows can graze on pasture throughout the year, whereas American farmers must purchase feed during the winter
- There’s a globally coordinated assault on agriculture. The G20, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) and the World Economic Forum are all pushing for radical reductions in farming to reach “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions
- The “sustainability” that globalists are calling for is not the sustainability of the human population. What they’re referring to is the sustainable growth of a new global economic system based on the allocation of finite resources to the technocratic “rulers.” The rest of us will “own nothing,” because they intend to strip us of our ownership rights. It’s crucial that people understand that the “sustainability” solutions currently offered will result in the eradication of a large portion of humanity
The video above is a short excerpt from a Joe Rogan interview (episode 2062) with Will Harris, the owner of a regenerative farm called White Oak Pastures, and his daughter Jenni Harris. In it, they discuss the ramifications of not having country of origin labeling on beef.
Twenty-five years ago, White Oak Pastures was the first “American made” grass fed beef brand on the market. Today, more than 85% of the grass fed beef sold in the U.S. is not raised in the U.S. Most of it comes from Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay. However, all that imported beef is legally labeled “Product of the USA.”
How is that possible? As explained by Will, “If value is added in this country, it’s a product of the USA.” “Added value” includes grinding, slicing, labeling, packaging, reboxing and transporting the meat. In other words, any kind of domestically performed processing and transport.
“But make no mistake, the animal was born, raised and slaughtered in Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand or 20 other countries,” Will says. As a result of this loophole in the labeling law, American farmers like the Harris family are forced to compete against far less expensive imported beef, which obviously has a negative impact on their profit margin.
In 2017, raising grass fed beef in Australia cost 59 cents per pound, whereas the cost per pound in the U.S. was $1.55 for large producers and as much as $4.26 per pound for a small farm.1 Naturally, if an American farmer wants to compete with Australian beef, they have to either find a way to slash costs, or produce at little to no profit.
One of the reasons for this price discrepancy is the fact that countries like Australia and New Zealand have relatively temperate weather year-round. As a result, their cows can graze on pasture throughout the year, whereas American farmers must purchase feed during the winter. The temperate climate also allows them to maintain much larger herd sizes, and scale cuts down the cost as well.
Country of Origin Labeling Excludes Beef and Pork
The U.S. does have a law in place that requires retailers to notify customers about the country of origin of certain foods. The Country of Origin labeling (COOL) law has been in effect since 2002. When first passed (under Title X of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002), it applied only to fresh beef, pork and lamb.
In 2008, the COOL requirements were expanded to include fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables. Congress repealed the COOL requirement for beef and pork in 2015 because the World Trade Organization (WTO) had issued a series of rulings prohibiting country of origin labels on these two commodities. The final rule removing mandatory COOL requirements for beef and pork in the U.S. was issued in February 2016.2
Is Your Beef Truly Grass Fed?
American grass fed beef producers also face another unfair hurdle, as the USDA doesn’t have an official definition for “grass fed.” As reported by The Gazette:3
“Unlike anything with an organic seal, which requires adherence to more definitive USDA rules, calling beef ‘grass fed’ doesn’t require an on-farm inspection or even mandate that animals live freely on a pasture.
Some ‘grass fed’ beef comes from cattle raised in grass feedlots, where they are confined in pens and fed grass pellets … Other beef products are labeled ‘grass fed, grain-finished,’ a shorthand for the standard cattle practice of raising cows on grass for most of their lives and then fattening them up quickly at the end.”
Under the USDA, terms like “grass fed” and “free-range” are voluntary marketing claims4 that aren’t backed up by stringent certification requirements or inspections. To address this shortcoming, organizations such as the American Grassfed Association (AGA) have stepped in to create their own national standards.
At present, the best and most rigorous grass fed certification in the U.S. is that of the AGA.5 AGA certified grass fed beef is raised on a 100% grass diet from weaning until slaughter. They’re also raised on pasture, without confinement throughout their life cycle, and are never treated with antibiotics or added growth hormones.
Importantly, all AGA certified animals are also born and raised on American family farms that employ a regenerative approach to farm management. The take-home here is that if you want to support American beef producers, make sure the beef you buy is AGA certified. The “Product of the USA” label is meaningless.
