There are certified organic meats...and there are certified organic meats.
The other day I read the wrong price to a fellow for an organic chicken and the ensuing investigation of organic meat products led, eventually, to the correct price (I’m sorry sir), but also lead me to some rather startling information regarding “organic” meat in Ontario. I’m going to share some of that below...
Where I work we sell meats mostly from one particular company – and there’s a reason for that. (We also have some exclusively grass fed local beef available.)
Let me tell you a little about this company, or group of companies really:
First, they are an alliance of around 50 organic farmers in Ontario. They grow organic foods and livestock, own their own certified organic slaughter house where they keep CFIA inspectors and veterinarians on site, and they market and ship their own foods. They can trace each piece of meat you buy right back to the farm and animal it came from.
This group are certified “organic” by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd.
Pro-Cert is generally considered to be Canada's leading national certifier of organic food.
Pro-Cert is ISO Guide 65 (EN54011) compliant and accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), and a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). Pro-Cert is also accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Japan Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the Committee on Accreditation for Evaluation of Quality (CAEQ, Quebec)…” and some other stuff, but I think that makes the point; these guys have standards.
“Certified Organic” means no use of growth hormones, pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics or genetically-modified organisms in any part of the process; it means the humane treatment of all animals throughout the process; it means outside access for all animals; and different farming practices which lead to environmental sustainability and ecological farming.
On June 30, 2009, “Certified Organic” was recognized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who now oversees Canadian certifying bodies. The Certified Organic industry and regulations cover every aspect of farming and every stage of processing. The certification covers traceability, feed, housing, slaughtering, and processing.
To be sure (us vegetarians think) the animals still die, but organically grown animals have been treated with decency throughout their healthier, non-drugged up, lives.
Now let me tell you about other “certified organic” meats in Ontario!
I’ve learned that some of the “organic” meat sold in Sudbury falls into this second category. One producer of “organic” meat states on their website that their animals are raised in modern buildings with clean well water…” they have…”fresh air to breathe, and access to natural sunlight.”
So... they open a window? That company is suspiciously silent on the entire caged or un-caged thing and no mention is heard regarding letting the poor beasties outside at any point in their short lives.
How about the quality of the meat being produced? Is that part at least, really “organic” by the high standards set by the province of Ontario? Definitely maybe.
Some “organic” meat producers do admit - buried deep in obscure parts of their websites (when those parts of the websites are working, grrrr) - that the grain portion of their “pasture and grain fed” animals is not organic grain.
Some companies say they have been “certified organic” buy organizations I was not familiar with, so I looked up one organization that did the certifying. One meat producer, who is sold in some Sudbury shops, is proudly certified by an organization that says they are created to ensure that no chemicals have been applied to the fields, pastures, orchards, or vineyards for the last three years. Er? And the meat part comes in….? *shrug*
Some companies say their beef has not been given “any hormones”, but, avoid mentioning the antibiotic issue altogether.
Some “organic” labelled meats are in reality (when you dig far enough to find the smaller print) only “antibiotic free”. Entirely? In their feed? From injections? *shrug again* I can’t find out.
So... an “organic” label on the meat we buy (Beef by Acme Farms– Certified Organic!! We NEVER use hormones!) might just mean the fields around the stock yards have been free of chemical fertilizers in the past three years and therefore the fields are certified organic? It may not apply to the meat at all? It might mean that the animal itself is pumped full of antibiotics (but no hormones!) and gmo grains and fermented animal bedding?
Do your research. Read carefully.
Or shop from places you trust to have done that for you.
Better yet... have you ever given vegetarianism any thought? :D
