Ag Policy/Food Prices

Consumer and Agriculture Groups’ Letter Urging USDA to Maintain Clear, Meaningful Standards for Grassfed Beef

CFA and other organizations representing consumers, farmers, the public health and the environment, urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) to eliminate confusion surrounding the term “grassfed” and to adopt labeling standards consistent with the now revoked Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) standards. Some producers have sought to introduce percentage claims, such as “80% grassfed” or “90% grassfed,” which would mislead consumers, since conventional producers typically raise cattle on a diet that is 80% grass and 20% grain. To protect the livelihood of the farmers and ranchers who created the grassfed market, and serve consumers who seek out grassfed meat for nutritional and environmental benefits, FSIS should incorporate the AMS standard as a minimum requirement for producers seeking to label meat “grassfed.”