Isn’t organic beef the same thing as natural beef?
No. The USDA’s current definition of “natural” beef could apply to just about any piece of meat you’ll find in your local grocery store. As long as it doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives and has only been minimally processed (i.e. ground), it can carry the “natural” label. When you buy beef with the “natural” label, you could be inadvertently buying beef from huge factory feed lots that may have been given growth-promoting hormones and antibiotics. Beyond claims made on the packaging, there is no guarantee their feed is free of potentially harmful pesticides. Organic, on the other hand, is a verifiable promise that the beef you are buying is guaranteed to be free of growth-promoting hormones and antibiotics and that the feed the cattle have been given is certified organic. In addition, organic livestock have virtually unlimited access to pasture and receive the most humane treatment possible. If it carries the USDA Organic seal on the label, you can trust the beef you are buyi
