Organic Meat: Healthy Animals Make Healthy Humans

by Amy Chen

The growing fear of food-borne illnesses, Mad Cow disease, E.coli, salmonella, improper food handling, pesticides, antibiotics and hormones, and the threat of a contaminated water supply and other environmental disasters from gross over-concentration of animals in the meat industry, worried consumers are looking to new healthier options to feed their families. Short of avoiding meat altogether, many people are discovering another facet of the world of organics: meats, poultry, dairy and eggs.

"It's organic from the ground up!" -George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley Family of Farms.

Organic farming bears strong resemblance to the good old days of traditional farming before technology took over. Driven by low cost and high profits, conventional farming tends to use as many means as possible to produce more meat per area, compromising the health and sanitation of the animals to be slaughtered for food, and raising the issue of a sewage overload c ontaminating our land and water supply. Because conventionally farmed animals are kept in tightly confined areas and fed animal by-products, cheaply grown feed, and at worst, manure instead of natural grass and good quality organic feed, the incidence of sickness and disease is common. Conventionally raised feed is genetically modified and heavily treated with pesticides, and the animals store the residues in their fatty tissue. Likewise, the animals store the residues of animal by-products they are fed as well. More critically, feeding animals to animals puts the animal and consumer at risk of contracting spongiform encephalopathies (Mad Cow disease). But instead of changing the feed and providing better living conditions, most conventional farmers feed or inject animals with antibiotics and hormones to treat the common occurrence of disease and sickness and hasten time to slaughter. Again, the animals absorb and accumulate these residues in their tissues as well. Thus the animals that consume these components become concentrated sources of chemicals that we unknowingly end up eating and accumulating in our bodies. In contrast, organic farming uses none of these methods that could introduce unhealthy elements into our food supply.

George Siemon, Founder of Organic Valley Family of Farms, an organic family farming cooperative, explains this simply: "Animals are accumulators, and they become whatever we feed them. Organic farming starts at the bottom of the food chain by raising healthy soil, which grows healthy plants, which grow healthy animals, which make healthy humans." Mr. Siemon, appointed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the National Organic Standards Board, has been a pioneer in organic livestock production and has participated in the development of the federally regulated organic livestock standards from 1990 to present. Certified organic meats are carefully scrutinized and tested for food safety and for strict compliance to the regulations at every step of the process. Some of their guidelines are listed below:

• No pesticides, antibiotics or hormones.
• 100% certified organic feed and pasture, which means no genetically modified foods seeds or feeds or and is raised without herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
• No nitrates, nitrites or preservatives.
• Animals are never fed animal by-products.
• Freedom of movement for animals, with full access to the outdoors. Humane treatment of animals (defined by the Humane Society of the United States.)
• Farm and farm records are inspected every year by a third party to ensure the standards are being enforced.

Animals grown organically are naturally robust and rarely get sick. But what happens if an animal does get sick? If an animal gets sick and has no alternative except for antibiotics, a farmer must treat the animal or risk losing certification. However, once the animal is treated with antibiotics, it can no longer be certified organic. After treatment involving drugs, the animal is diverted to a conventional farm. When buying organic meat, not only are you assured the meat is virtually residue-free, you are guaranteed that you are getting meat from an animal that was healthy throughout its life. A conventionally farmed animal treated with all sorts of drugs can be compared to a healthy person using many drugs, in that the drugs can wear down a natural state of health. And not only is eating meat from sick animals not good for you, it is not very appetizing either.

According to Mr. Siemon, there are other health benefits from Organic Valley Family of Farms brand organic meats, because they go beyond what is required in the organic standards. The Organic Valley farmed beef cows are grass-fed, which results in a higher content of Conjugated Linoleic Acids, a fatty acid in dairy and meats are reported to reduce the "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and prevent cancers. Organic Valley family farmers also withdraw grain in the last few days before the beef cattle are finished, and the cattle are fed hay and pastured. This changes the pH of the intestines discouraging the growth of a strain of E.coli that is hazardous to humans. Also, Organic Valley family farmers do the best they can to provide a stress-free environment for the animals in order to maintain the best possible health of the animals. To learn more, visit www.organicvalley.com. Not only is there a plethora of information on organic farming and sustainable agriculture on their easily navigable web site, there are even interactive and educational tools for kids (and adults) in the Farm Friends Kids Club section.

Where do you find organic meat? Most health food stores now carry certified organic meats, and mainstream supermarkets should carry more certified organic meats in the future. As always, remember to read labels carefully. Don't confuse meat labeled "certified organic" with meat labeled "natural." Natural is a loose term generally meaning no artificial ingredients were added in meat processing. But the claim has nothing to do with what the animal was fed and drugged, the conditions in which it was raised, or the health of the animal. Certified organic meat, on the other hand, goes far beyond just avoiding artificial ingredients. It is a guarantee that the product went through strict health and safety control points before it got to your store. Expect to pay more for organic meats, but be assured that the food you're eating is safer than other meats.

In terms of nutrient content, whether organic or conventional, the meat is still going to have a considerable amount of fat and cholesterol. Two to three servings of 2-oz portions of lean meat are more than enough for one day. Organic meats might have the amount of fat comparable to the conventional meats, but the fat will have fewer impurities. Children and pregnant and lactating women especially should consider eating only organic meats because they may be more sensitive than others to the chemical residues and possible pathogens in conventional meats and dairy products.

The world of organics is a world worth exploring. Just like the animals, we are what we eat. Choosing high quality organic animal products will reduce the amount of contaminants we consume which may help delay diseases such as cancers. And even better, the health benefits of organic foods and farming reach far beyond our bodies to our environment as well.