Organic beef and natural beef are not the same thing. U.S. government certification is required for beef to be labeled organic; no such certification program exists for beef that is labeled "natural." By definition, the U.S. government considers "natural" all beef that does not require an ingredient label showing additives such as antibiotics, growth hormones and marinades.
Statistics
The United States has approximately 800,000 beef producers yielding one billion pounds annually. Of that, the most common form of beef sold is grain-fed. According to FreshLook Marketing and the U.S. government, only 1.1 percent of total beef in the United States is labeled as natural and organic, comprising 11 million pounds a year.
Labeling
Beef that bears a "natural" label can mean numerous things depending entirely upon the producers. Multiple labels are required for beef that adheres to multiple sets of guidelines such as: free-range, where cattle are free to roam pastures at will; vegetarian fed; and grass fed. The "natural" label essentially means that there are no additives in the meat and that it was minimally processed.
For a product to be labeled as certified organic by the USDA, it must adhere to the guidelines for organic practices. Organic practices are rigorous and strict to ensure confidence that you are purchasing an organic product when it bears the circular green and white "USDA Organic" label. Organic beef is always vegetarian fed and has access to pasture, but it is not necessarily free-range.
Considerations
The "natural" beef label can be misleading. It does not take into consideration what the cow has consumed throughout its lifetime or its living conditions. Common practices in conventional agriculture include: feeding cattle plastic pellets for roughage; using feed containing animal byproducts, urea and manure; denying cows access to pasture; and housing cows in overcrowded conditions. Some natural beef producers only restrict hormone and antibiotic use in the 100 to 120 days prior to slaughter.
Organic Beef Guidelines
Beef that is labeled organic guarantees consumers the following: cattle are fed 100 percent organic feed; are not given any hormones or antibiotics, with those that are given hormones or antibiotics for health reasons dropped from the program; have access to pasture; are organic from the last third of gestation on; and are certified organic through the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Organic Practices
Organic standards are overseen by the National Organic Program and protected by the Organic Foods Protection Act. The beef is certified organic, but so is the farm where the cattle lives. Organic practices focus on the natural condition of the cow; cows are naturally vegetarians, thus they are fed organic, vegetarian feed and offered pasture. Organic beef ensures good living conditions for cows. All organic beef is traceable back to the source.
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