Meat
Pasture raised. Hormone free. All natural. With so many buzzwords, it’s hard to decipher labels on meat, eggs, and dairy products. Which ones are just greenwashing, and which ones can you trust?
Liberally used terms like “free-range” paint a bucolic picture that is far from the reality of today’s industrial farming system. Raising animals in crowded confinement is the standard practice in America because it’s efficient and profitable, but it’s also inhumane. As consumer demand for humane and sustainable animal products grows, labels featuring bold claims and happy animals frolicking in lush pasture have proliferated in the meat and dairy aisles, most without federal regulation.
For CUESA, humane means things like allowing animals to engage in the natural behaviors that are important to their wellbeing, and minimizing stress to the animals, from birth to slaughter. We’ve detailed specific practices in our Sustainability Frameworks, and we endeavor to partner with producers whose practices align with these values.
To help you decode the labels, see our Animal Welfare Guide.
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Recipes with Meat
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Paella de Carne with AllioliPaul Canales, Duende Oakland |
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Mixiote de Carne: Beef Cooked in LeavesAlma Rodriguez, Mixiote SF |
Articles about Meat
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November 10, 2017Raising a Better Turkey for ThanksgivingGet your humanely raised heritage turkey at the farmers market. |
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August 19, 2016Root Down Farm: Meat That Is Worth the WaitFirst generation farmer Dede Boies raises heritage chickens, turkeys, and pigs with care every step of the way. |
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March 11, 2016Decoding Animal Welfare LabelsPasture raised. Hormone free. All natural. Which ones are just greenwashing, and which ones can you trust? |
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December 19, 2014Pasture-Raised Poultry from Chowdown FarmGrown-up farm kids Brian Douglass and Kristy Lyn Levings farm for flavor raising poultry, sheep, and game birds. |
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December 12, 2014Stemple Creek Ranch Brings Grass-Fed Beef to the Ferry PlazaFourth-generation farmer Loren Poncia raises healthy cattle, lamb, and soil in Marin. |
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About CUESA
CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is dedicated to growing thriving communities through the power and joy of local food. Learn More »