If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve likely come across stories about growing concerns about factory farming and chemicals in our food. A recall of ground turkey potentially contaminated with salmonella made national headlines, as did news about antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which have resulted from an overuse of antibiotics in animal feed on many non-organic farms. And stories about the ill-effects of cramped, confined feed lots are increasingly gaining media attention.
Does such news of poor livestock treatment and living conditions have you seeking out a safer, healthier method of food production?
Animal welfare is a top priority for organic farmers. By law, organic farmers must provide their animals with access to the outdoors and pasture so that they can freely roam about. In fact, organic standards require that cows graze on rich, nutritious grass for a minimum of one third of their lives.
In addition, organic farmers must provide animals with 100% organic feed and safe, clean, cage-free living conditions. Plus, they are required to raise animals without the use of antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones like rBST.
The result: healthy, happy animals that are encouraged to exhibit the behaviors nature intended and less exposure to the chemicals that you and your family wish to avoid.
Organic Standards Support and Promote Animal Health
Organic vs. Conventional Livestock Production: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Access to the Outdoors
An Alternative to Antibiotics
Organic is Good for Cows, Too
