A 2007 Organic Trade Association study found significant growth in consumption of organic food and beverages, with sales rocketing from $1 billion dollars in 1990 to a projected $23 billion in 2008, with annual increases of about 18 percent annually. Although organic beef is more expensive than factory-farmed beef, many consumers choose it because it may be more healthful, and they feel that organic beef cattle are raised more humanely.
Types
Cattle may be raised and sold as "natural" or "organic" and there are a number of watchdog organizations and companies which raise and sell beef under these labels. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has basic guidelines for companies selling food labeled as natural. According to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, the food can't contain artificial ingredients and must be minimally processed, without preservatives. The USDA does not provide guidelines for how natural meat animals are raised or fed.
USDA-certified organic beef, on the other hand, must be raised, fed and managed strictly according to USDA guidelines.
Features
To be certified as organic by the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA-certified, organic beef cattle must not be given any antibiotics or growth hormones, according to USDA regulations. Organic beef cattle also must be fed organic feed, exclusive of other animal products. They have to be given access to pasture, grass and fresh air. Their shelter must be comfortable, allowing them room to turn around and lie down. USDA-certified farms are monitored for compliance by USDA officials so the care and feeding or certified organic beef is assured for the end consumer.
Health Benefits
A 2010 panel on Capitol Hill concluded that antibiotic resistance in people was a growing health concern, and put much of the blame squarely on the shoulders of meat producers, according to reporters who covered the briefing for Medill Northwestern University. Some European countries banned the use of antibiotics in animals raised for food and have seen a significant decrease in antibiotic-resistant disease, the panel noted. However, 70 percent of the antibiotics in the U.S. are used on livestock and many U.S. ranchers are reluctant to change.
Identification
Single-ingredient foods, such as USDA-certified organic beef, will bear the USDA seal guaranteeing that it has been tracked and adheres to USDA organic guidelines. The seal is not mandatory but most producers use it, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Considerations
The FDA states that there is no evidence that organic foods are better for the consumer, taste different or are more nutritious. However, it allows that taste is "subjective" and that many consumers assert that organic food tastes better. Most organic foods, such as beef, cost more because they are more expensive to produce. The FDA says that the largest determinant of how a food tastes is freshness, whether you choose to buy organic or not.
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