What’s the deal with grass fed beef?
Recently someone asked us why people would pay the premium associated with our grass fed beef? If one person has had that question, I thought there might be a few more of you out there wanting to know the same!
If you purchase meat from us in bulk (a quarter cow or half cow), you will find the price per pound to be about $7.50. That means you get ribeye steaks for $7.50 a pound, chuck roast for $7.50 a pound, short ribs…You get the idea! A person might be able to find grass fed and even grass fed organic product at your local Kroger or Aldi for about that same price, if it were on sale. You might even find grass fed organic ground beef at either of these stores for $5.00 a pound. So, why should you buy from Grassworks Farm?
Grass fed, even grass fed organic, on a product label does not explain how the animal was raised. When I buy grass fed products, I want to know that the animal lived on grass and ate grass! Similarly, I want to know how the animal was processed. Grass fed doesn’t necessarily mean “moved to fresh pasture daily.” Also, when animals are processed in a large scale processing facility, a package of ground beef might contain meat from several different animals. If you’ve seen the documentary Food Inc, you have an understanding of why this can be problematic. (If you haven’t seen Food Inc, go watch it!!) In the same way that cage-free on a carton of eggs doesn’t mean the animal was raised on pasture, grass fed on a package of meat doesn’t mean the animal was raised the way we raise our cows.
Grassworks Farm is proud to belong to the American Grassfed Association. This label on our products reflects the hard work and dedication that goes into raising cattle as they were intended and is only awarded after a thorough third party inspection to ensure all guidelines of the association are being followed. The American Grassfed Association requires animals be fed a 100% grass diet, be raised on pasture, never given antibiotics or hormones, and born and raised on American family farms.
Our products cost more because our process is different and our product is different. We are a local farm, raising a smaller herd of animals on grass. Raising a smaller herd on a local farm means we have a higher cost per animal than a large feed lot operation. Finishing a cow on grass takes 24 to 29 months versus the 15 to 20 months it takes if you feed or finish with grain. This timeline makes it more expensive to raise a grassfed cow.
Our products are more expensive than the grocery store alternative. The benefits our products offer are different, too. Grass fed/grass finished beef has numerous health benefits including:
higher levels of vitamin E (linked to reduced risk of heart disease and cancer)
three to five times more conjugated linoleic acid or CLA (shown to be a defense against cancer)
less fat and calories than grain fed beef
higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids (linked to healthy heart and brain function and reduced risk of cancer) and
decreased levels of pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fatty acids and a proper ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (linked to reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, depression, and inflammation).
We recognize people might view the price of our products as “high” or consider they are “paying a premium” when they buy from Grassworks Farms. However, it is our belief that if we, as a society, started spending a little more money on beneficial food, perhaps we could spend less money on healthcare. In a lot of instances, the old adage of “you get what you pay for” seems to ring true. Ultimately, we believe that when looking at grocery store alternatives to our products, the question shouldn’t just be about the cost, but rather about the value. When you start looking at your food purchases with that perspective, we believe you can feel comfortable spending a little more money knowing you are investing in your health!
Drop us a comment below if you have any questions! What little changes are you making in your household to prioritize your health and wellness? We love to hear from you. Have a great week!
Health benefit information found on www.eatwild.com.