Is Organic Really Better?
The Department for Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) definition of organic:
‘"Organic food is the product of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides; growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Irradiation and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products produced from or by GMOs are generally prohibited by organic legislation."
When you hear the term, “Organic” most people think that it is food made without the use of common pesticides and fertilizers being - all natural. It has taken the world by storm for the past decade having consumers spend those extra dollars to get this “healthier” option. With all this new clout that surrounds this term - is it REALLY better especially when it comes to meat? Many people think that when meat is labelled "organic" it means that the animals are ethically and sustainably raised but that couldn't be further from the truth.
"A Striking development in recent years has been the emergence of "grass feelots" where cattle are fed grass (often in form of grass pellets) in confinement" - Stone Barnes Center. Now the question becomes - do you really want to be buying that type of meat - confined, unethically raised cows, eating grass pellets? We certainly don't.
Instead of being persuaded by a label, we urge consumers to start looking into how the animals actually are being raised and treated. Organic does not always mean farm practices are sustainable and humane - sometimes its just a set of criteria that feedlots meet in order to make their product seem more marketable.