UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS SUPPORT GRASS FED BEEF

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/rules.html
The UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS has come out in support of grass fed beef. Considering this organizations stance on 'climate change' and other green initiatives, this is a contrary opinion to the majority of environmentalists that condemn ranching and grazing of cattle. Click on the link below to read their letter to Martin E. O'Connor, Chief Standardization Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/sustainable_food/ucs-comments-grassfed-beef.html
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)has come out with a new standard, that seems to favor the packing houses more than the individual producer.
Link and Action Alert from Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
http://www.msawg.org/pdf/Action%20Alert%20to%20Support%20Grass%20Fed%20Meat%20Label%20Claim.pdf

ACTION ALERTPlease Take Immediate ActionSubmit your comments supporting the proposed 99% grass or forage fed requirement forthe GRASS FED MEAT LABEL CLAIMAugust 10th DeadlineYour letter or e-mail will help prevent the good 99% grass or forage feeding requirementfrom being finalized with a less stringent standard. A weakened regulation will disrupt theimportant and growing niche market created by small and medium-sized sustainablelivestock producers, limit the positive environmental and animal health effects of the grassfed industry, and erase the consumer health benefits of grass fed animal products.Key Point: The proposed 99% grass or forage feeding requirement for livestock productslabeled “grass fed” by the USDA’s Process Verified Program should be approved.Second Point: As soon as it has finalized the new grass fed label claim rule, USDA should issuefor public comment new proposed label claim standards for free range or pasture-raised livestockand for livestock raised with no antibiotics and no supplemental hormones. (For moreinformation on these claims, see meat label claims background.Comments should be addressed to:• Letters: Chief, Standardization Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA,Room 2607-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0254• Email: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/mainAll Comments should refer to Docket No. LS-05-09.Background: After three years of intensive consultations with a wide array of sustainableagriculture, environmental, and consuer interests, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service(AMS) has released a revised proposal for a grass fed meat label claim for its process-verifiedlabeling program. The revised standard, which applies to cattle, sheep and other ruminantlivestock, but not pigs, requires that animals certified as “grass fed” receive at least 99 percent oftheir lifetime energy source from a grass or forage based diet. This is a significant increase fromthe original proposal issued in late 2002 stating that at least 80 percent of the lifetime energysource comes from a grass or forage-based diet.AMS will administer the grass fed label through its Process Verified Program, under whichruminant livestock producers can request that their “grass fed” claim be verified by AMS asmeeting the standard’s feeding regime. Under the program, AMS will conduct an on-siteevaluation to ensure that the livestock is raised under the standard’s feeding regime. Meatproducts from livestock raised in accordance with the AMS grass fed standard can then belabeled with the grass fed claim along with the “USDA Process Verified” statement and shield asassurance to consumers that USDA is a third party verifier of the product.The new proposed standard issued by USDA is in response to an effort led by the SustainableAgriculture Coalition (SAC) to improve USDA’s 2002 proposal for label standards for grass fedclaims, as well as antibiotic use claims; hormone use claims; and free range claims. SACdeveloped a broad collaboration of interested parties to ask USDA for a more extensive andinclusive process that would allow input from family farm, consumer, humane, andenvironmental organizations and most importantly, sustainable livestock producers themselves,the group who worked hard to establish the grass fed market.Over the past decade, numerous scientific studies have shown that the meat and milk from grassand forage fed animals are higher in good fats that may confer health benefits on humans. Thegrass fed claim, in combination with strong standards for the other meat marketing claims stillunder consideration by AMS, will also help consumers identify meat products from animalsraised in pastured systems that lessen environmental damage and improve animal health.SAC demanded that the USDA develop a grass-fed label that helped, not hindered producerswho were already maintaining a 100% grass fed operation, and not destroy the market byallowing large confined feedlot operations to finish out the animals on a grain-based diet and stillmake claims to being grass fed. The AMS held a public listening session in 2004 on the issueand heard the same message. SAC is pleased the proposed labeling standard largely reflects themajor feeding regime portion of the consensus recommendations. SAC and its collaboratorsconvinced the USDA that the agency had the ability to transform the marketplace and either helpor hinder small and moderate sized farms and ranches that have made their livelihoods in suchclaims.Please help secure this important victory with your comment letter in support of the proposedlabel claim standard for grass fed meat! And also urge USDA to issue label claims for publiccomment on pasture requirements for free range or pasture-raised livestock and for noantibiotics or supplemental hormones.A sample comment letter follows. Feel free to adapt it and to add whatever other comments youmay wish to make about the proposed standard.Thank you!
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE OF USDA GRASS (FORAGE) FED BEEF STANDARDShttp://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/claim.htm