The Best Grass Fed Beef Is Local: Here's Why

written by

Nolan Masser

posted on

June 21, 2022

Not all grass fed beef is created equal. 

The grass fed beef that you find in the grocery store and the grass fed beef that you get from our farm share some similarities, but taste completely different due to how the animals were raised and the distance the meat traveled to get to you. 

In fact, much of the grass fed beef sold in the United States, even that labeled “Product of U.S.A” is not raised or slaughtered here.

How is this possible? And what meat should you eat instead? Let’s break the issue down. 

Grass Fed Beef isn’t Standardized 

To begin with, there are no legally defined standards for grass fed beef. This means that there aren’t any government regulations specifying how a cow must be raised for the beef to be labeled as grass fed. 

All the USDA requires is an affidavit outlining how the meat farm operates their grass feeding program. They often don’t follow up to confirm these plans which leads to a wide range of quality control. 

Our beef, which comes from pasture raised animals that spend their entire lives eating grass grown on our farm, is labeled grass fed. At the same time, beef that comes from animals raised on feedlots who eat grass pellets out of troughs can also be labeled grass fed. As you can imagine, the resulting beef is very different! 

Most Grass Fed Beef is Imported Beef 

There’s a big problem in the beef industry right now. It has to do with imported beef. As it currently stands, any meat that’s processed in the United States can be labeled as a “Product of U.S.A.”. As long as the piece of beef is sliced into steaks in a USDA inspected processing plant, it doesn’t matter where the animal was raised or even slaughtered.

This is a particularly large issue within the grass fed beef industry. In 2018, only 15% of grass fed beef sold in the United States was raised by American producers¹. The rest was imported beef. Yikes! 

Imported grass fed beef comes primarily from countries like Australia, Uruguay, and Brazil where there are meat farms set up to raise grass fed beef as cheaply as possible. The end goal isn’t the best tasting product, it’s the biggest profits for large corporations. 

Country of Origin Labeling is Important 

Right now there are bills in Congress looking to change how beef labeling works. Instead of country of origin being determined by where the meat is processed, it will be based on where the animal was raised.

If the country of origin labeling bills pass, imported beef will no longer be able to be labeled as “Product of U.S.A” even if it was cut into steaks here. This will be a big win for domestic grass fed beef farmers like us, but it’s not guaranteed. 

Buying Local Grass Fed Beef is the Best Option

The only way to ensure that your grass fed beef is delicious and verify that it was pasture raised in the United States is to buy it from a local farmer that you know. 

The benefits of local grass fed beef are countless, but a few major ones include

  1. Better taste - Our cows eat a wide range of grasses and get lots of exercise moving around the pasture. The end result is well marbled, rich, beefy steaks and grinds. We have a neighbor who thought he didn’t like grass fed beef because he had only eaten the stuff from the store. One taste of ours however, and he’s a convert! 
  2. Less of a carbon footprint - Our cows are raised using regenerative practices which means that they are actively helping to sequester carbon, instead of being brought thousands of miles across the ocean and contributing to pollution. 
  3. Transparency - There are no secrets about how we farm. We love answering questions and showing people our process. We can guarantee that the meat you’re eating was raised the right way.

We firmly believe in eating grass fed beef for its health and environmental benefits, however we also know that not all beef has those benefits in equal amounts. If you’re ready to try grass fed beef that does what it's supposed to, click here to shop now! 


Sources:

1. “Foreign beef can legally be labeled “Product of U.S.A.” It’s killing America’s grass-fed industry.”  


More from the blog

Are Antibiotics in Meat Harming Your Health?

Antibiotics have been used in commercial farming since 1948, but at what cost? While they help animals grow faster, they also raise serious concerns about antibiotic resistance, meat quality, and long-term health effects. Many conventional farms routinely give antibiotics to livestock, leaving trace residues in the meat we eat. But there’s a better way. At Red Hill Harvest, we take a different approach—raising animals on pasture, prioritizing their health naturally, and ensuring our meat is free from unnecessary antibiotics. Learn why choosing antibiotic-free meat matters for your health, the environment, and the quality of your food. Read on to uncover the truth.

February 22, 2025: Price Increase

As you can see from the title, we are raising our prices. This decision was challenging and carefully considered over the past three months. As I’ve mentioned before, one of our core values is transparency, and part of this value involves being upfront about matters we find difficult to share. Here’s what you need to know - Beginning next Saturday, February 22nd, we will implement an average price increase of 23% on all our Grass-fed Beef products. Some cuts of beef will significantly increase, while others will experience minor or no changes. What brings on this price increase? Butchering Cost - As you probably know, most companies' labor costs have increased dramatically over the past few years. Butchering is a very labor-intensive task, and the price of that labor is high, especially for the local, family-owned butcher shops that we choose to support. Packaging - In late spring of 2024, we paid $20 per insulated cooler. In 2025, we are paying almost $23 per insulated cooler, a 14% increase in just 10 months. Cattle Prices -  This is the most significant price change and the largest driver of the price increase. This humongous price leap is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2020, many processing facilities closed for a few months. This simple shutdown risked overloading the delicate system with an unmanageable number of cattle. Ranchers saw this and quickly culled their herds and stopped breeding more animals. Alongside a drought in the West, the US Beef Herd is the smallest it's been since 1951. Since raising a cow from calf to finish weight takes almost three years, we have yet to see the numbers return. The unbalance of supply and demand has caused our replacement cattle prices to skyrocket to record numbers. For instance, in 2020, cattle feeder prices were around $1.08/lb. (These are 500# animals brought to our farm for us to take to finish weight) Now, in 2025, the price is $2.68/lb—quite a significant increase. How you can save There are still plenty of ways to save. First, we will postpone all price increases until next Saturday. This way, you can stock up on our Grass-fed Beef at its current price. Bulk Bundles - We will still offer bulk bundles crafted to save us money because of packing efficiencies and overstocked items. As you are a valued partner of our farm, we will continue to pass these savings on to you. Sales - Stay alert for sales and offerings throughout the year. We have a sale planned for almost every month! Refer a friend - We want you to share our products with the world! Use this link to refer friends and get $20 in-store credit when they place their first order!  We truly do appreciate your support of our farm. If you have any questions about this price increase, please do not hesitate to contact us! We pride ourselves on providing your family with delicious, healthy, and, most importantly, trustworthy food, and we would love to continue to do so for many years to come! Your Farmers, The Red Hill Harvest Family