Post by Liz on Jul 28, 2006 13:50:03 GMT -5
Copied form an email I received:
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Circulation 31,497
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The USDA has published for comment grass fed standards to define what the
term Grass Fed means. This claim defines grass fed to mean animals who
receive 99% of their lifetime energy supply from grass and forage. However,
it falls short of defining where this forage diet can be fed.
To most consumers the term grass fed means cattle humanely raised in grass
pastures from birth to harvest, the way nature intended. The USDA proposal
would allow animals to be kept in confinement, fed harvested forage, corn
silage and other grains that have not been separated from their stalks. If
this proposed claim passes into regulation you could see feedlot beef fed
antibiotics, hormones and legally be labeled grass fed Beef.
We feel so strongly about this we are asking for your help in responding to
the USDA. We are quite sure you don't want grass fed cattle standing in
confinement for 160 to 220 days, without shade, eating corn silage and being
fed antibiotics and growth hormones. We ask you to please take the time to
insure the term Grass Fed Beef means range or pasture raised not Factory
Farmed, confinement raised.
As a producer we strongly feel that any grass fed standard must address and
restrict confinement feeding as an integral part of that standard, otherwise
the label will lose its integrity. As a consumer, we believe you will agree
with us and ask that you please E-Mail the USDA at [ftp]marketingclaim@usda.gov[/ftp]
to allow your opinion to be known. Refer to Docket No. LS-05-09.
The deadline for accepting comment is August 10. Simply comment that you as
a consumer believe that the standard for grass fed must include reference to
being raised on pasture and a restriction of confinement feeding systems.
Patricia Whisnant, DVM
President, American Grassfed Association Owner, American Grass Fed Beef
P.S. Feel free to forward this alert to your friends, clients and
colleagues.
=========================================
Circulation 31,497
=========================================
The USDA has published for comment grass fed standards to define what the
term Grass Fed means. This claim defines grass fed to mean animals who
receive 99% of their lifetime energy supply from grass and forage. However,
it falls short of defining where this forage diet can be fed.
To most consumers the term grass fed means cattle humanely raised in grass
pastures from birth to harvest, the way nature intended. The USDA proposal
would allow animals to be kept in confinement, fed harvested forage, corn
silage and other grains that have not been separated from their stalks. If
this proposed claim passes into regulation you could see feedlot beef fed
antibiotics, hormones and legally be labeled grass fed Beef.
We feel so strongly about this we are asking for your help in responding to
the USDA. We are quite sure you don't want grass fed cattle standing in
confinement for 160 to 220 days, without shade, eating corn silage and being
fed antibiotics and growth hormones. We ask you to please take the time to
insure the term Grass Fed Beef means range or pasture raised not Factory
Farmed, confinement raised.
As a producer we strongly feel that any grass fed standard must address and
restrict confinement feeding as an integral part of that standard, otherwise
the label will lose its integrity. As a consumer, we believe you will agree
with us and ask that you please E-Mail the USDA at [ftp]marketingclaim@usda.gov[/ftp]
to allow your opinion to be known. Refer to Docket No. LS-05-09.
The deadline for accepting comment is August 10. Simply comment that you as
a consumer believe that the standard for grass fed must include reference to
being raised on pasture and a restriction of confinement feeding systems.
Patricia Whisnant, DVM
President, American Grassfed Association Owner, American Grass Fed Beef
P.S. Feel free to forward this alert to your friends, clients and
colleagues.