Gaining ground with grass
Pasture-based beef finds converts in restaurants, stores
By Abby Polonsky
Special to the Tribune
Published March 8, 2006
"Putting cows back on pasture and allowing them to
feed themselves by grazing on grass has multiple benefits for the
environment, the cows and for us as well," she said.
"The report confirms that grass-fed beef has higher levels of some of
the beneficial fats that prevent heart disease and strengthen the
immune system. Much grass-fed beef is also lower in fat than
conventionally raised beef. The grass really is greener with regard to
the environmental and health benefits of pasture production, including
less water pollution and meat produced without antibiotics."
Interest growing
Although most countries other than the U.S. consume predominantly
grass-fed beef, the interest level in the U.S. is increasing, said
Wesley Jarrell, head of the department of natural resources and
environmental sciences at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. He said the boost to the environment is one cause.
"In pasture-dominated systems, animals collect their own feed, and
spread their own manure," he said. "In confinement animal systems, we
must expend energy to collect the feed and bring it to the animals,
then worry about how to dispose of the concentrated manure without
wasting nutrients or polluting water."
Jarrell noted that
because much of the grass-fed beef on the market is lean, "the meat
must be prepared differently than grain-finished animals." It should be
served rare to medium-rare for the best tenderness; overcooking will
make it tough. Also, when pan-frying steaks, extra oil may be needed to
prevent them from sticking to pans.
Jo Robinson, author of
"Pasture Perfect" and principal researcher for eatwild.com, said that
in addition to the health and environmental benefits of pasture-based
beef, "having more farmers raise small herds of grass-fed animals and
selling the products directly to the public allowed more farm families
to stay on the land and make a decent living, making it a
win-win-win-win situation."
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FINDING FARMERS NEAR YOU
For information on local sources of grass-fed livestock, visit online at eatwild.com or familyfarmed.org.
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
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