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It’s time for a pop quiz!

Where does most grass fed beef in our grocery stores come from?

A) Surrounding cities or states

B) United States, but not the Midwest

C) North America

D) Outside of North America?

Which answer do you think is correct?

Before I began to look further into where most meat comes from I would have guessed incorrectly. The answer is D) Outside of North America. 75%-80% of the grass fed beef sold in the United States (by value) comes from abroad, the majority coming from countries like Australia and New Zealand!

I realize there is nothing wrong with this in practice - it’s a free world, a free market and the truth is in these countries they have the ability to produce grass fed beef significantly cheaper than we do here in the United States. According to a study done by Stone Barn Center for Food and Agriculture these countries can actually produce it for ⅓ to ½ of the price that we can. Why? There are many reasons, one being their large, vast grasslands which are available for a lower price than land is here in the United States. Additionally, they can produce fresh grass year round allowing for grazing on pasture all year long, whereas we need to cut and bale hay (which is essentially dried grass and forage) in the summer to be able to feed cows when our stockpiled pastures get too buried in snow for grazing during the winter. 

We cannot blame the industry for seeking less expensive options when trying to meet a growing demand for grass fed meat. However, we must be aware that this reality exists. Oftentimes we may not know we are buying meat from outside the U.S. Much of this meat we see in grocery stores is actually processed overseas, brought to the U.S. and then packaged here and labeled “Product of the USA”, which leads us to believe it is a U.S. product. In reality, it was simply packaged here.

For individuals buying grass fed beef because they want to support local, and understand the benefits of eating local, this can be misleading. Because you’ve opted in to receive our updates, we want to thank you for eating local and supporting our Minnesota and Wisconsin farms. We’d love to tell you a bit more about why eating local is beneficial to our environment, farm and economy.  

What are the benefits of eating local?

The following is a list of a few of the many reasons why buying local grass fed beef is beneficial:

1. Environmental Benefits

Buying local grass fed beef results in more of the local land being taken out of a tillage based operation and put into a perennial pasture that results in many environmental benefits. Check out our blog, Cows Save the Planet Part 2. But in short, pasture can take CO₂ and Methane out of the air, it can increase wildlife habitat, build carbon in our soil, reduce erosion, and many more.

2. Reduce CO₂ Emissions

Buying local meat reduces the fuel burning from the transportation of meat from across the world, therefore, reducing CO₂ emissions. Buying in bulk also reduces CO₂ emissions because you are not running to the grocery store every time you want some ground beef or steaks.

3. Know what's on your table

Buying local allows you to create relationships with the farmers who produce your food and allows you to better understand the system in which your food is produced. We love showing people around our farm and operation and talking about why we do what we do! We believe having a connection to your food and the earth can actually be therapeutic.

4. Our local economy

Buying local helps keep our local economies strong by keeping our consumer dollars in that area. Supporting local businesses creates more jobs in your community as well. Your investment in the grass fed meat we raise on our farm means keeping a family farm like ours in business, doing what we love and caring for our land in the best way possible.

We are so thankful for you and all the support you've have shown us through this time. Many customers have emailed, called and asked us how our business is doing throughout this difficult. We are blessed to serve you and your family. Thank you for your business.