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Free-Range and Grass-Fed Meat: Learn More

Many of us are concerned with the sustainability and environmental impacts of the foods we eat. You might be familiar with free range and grass fed beef meat, but wonder what exactly they are, and how they differ from grain fed, or caged meat products. You might also wonder exactly what those phrases mean. We’ll explore the meaning behind these phrases, as well as their implications for the environment and sustainable agriculture.

What does free range mean?

Usually, the term “free range” is applied to eggs, and refers to the amount of access that egg-laying hens have to an outdoor range, as well as their stocking density. However, some people might use this term to describe beef or other meats that come from animals that are allowed to spend a notable amount of time outdoors. In the United States, for example, the USDA requires that animals be allowed ‘continuous, free access to the out-of-doors for over 51% of the animals’ lives’ for this label to be applied.

What does grass-fed mean?

People often use the term ‘grass-fed’ to describe beef that comes from a cow that is only fed on grass, and not on grain–with the exception of milk early in its life. While the legal definition of ‘grass-fed’ can vary by jurisdiction, it is usually used to describe meat from cows that have not fed on grain for their entire lives, and have instead been allowed to graze or eat grass. In the United States, one of the USDA’s requirements for grass-fed meat is that ‘Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season’.

Sustainability

One of the big reasons people might be interested in grass-fed and free range meat is their potential sustainability benefits. Growing grains to feed livestock can be a complex process, and the farmland required to grow all the grain required to feed livestock can be vast. Grass-fed meat is sometimes part of efforts to engage in ‘regenerative agriculture’, which aims to better utilise land and engage in farming practices which add nutrients back to soil. The idea is that this is a more sustainable method of growing livestock than farming large swathes of land in order to grow grains to be fed to livestock.

Health impacts

Scientists have also been interested to see how grass-fed meats impact diet, and whether they’re healthier than grain-fed meats. Since grass-fed meat comes from animals eating a natural, and potentially more varied diet, many have wondered if this translates to health benefits in the meat that comes from these animals. This study, for example, showed that grass-fed beef could contain a better ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which in turn could offer health benefits in humans.

The bottom line

For a lot of us, sustainability is important. The foods we eat are part of larger systems around us that we rely on every day. Fortunately, there are many promising ways we can work to make our food more sustainable. The future of grass-fed and free-range meat products looks promising–and that’s great for jerky, because the best jerky is probably sustainable beef jerky. At BBQ Jerky, we work to ensure that we only use Australian beef that we source from local suppliers. To see how sustainability and amazing taste can go hand in hand for yourself, be sure to check out our wide selection of flavours!

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