Questions about where our beef comes from???? (organic, barbeque, fast food)

[CometVoyager]

For dinner this past evening I threw on the barbeque two thick juicy T-Bone Steaks from COSTCO. While I was cooking them my wife runs out and shows me the label of the steak packaging. The T-Bones were from Mexico.

At first I thought weird, but I was hungry and was determined to have that juicy T-Bone between my teeth. I also did not want to disappoint my dog who always loves when I barbeque. Then I remembered that while I was seasoning the T-Bones I noticed that the membrane between the Filet and the T-Bone seemed different than what I was used to seeing. It had like a polyurethane sticky material but once again I was hungry and all I wanted to do was to get that T-Bone Filet between my teeth.

Once satiated I called my neighbor who I consider a true gourmet chef. He told me to never buy beef that has it origins in Mexico, as there have been many sanitary & processing challenges there. Personally I consider Mexicans are no less American than we are and IMHO the Mexican people have a very admirable work ethic. However, after personally witnessing how irresponsible the Mexican government is towards their own people I decided that from now on to carefully read the label and see where all food products originate.

My gourmet neighbor chef also explained to me how the new green compliance regulations have been adversely affecting U.S. beef production and have driving retail giants like COSTCO towards other markets inorder to stay competative. Personally would rather have quality than price.

[sundrop]

I will not go into my personal feelings about this topic, I will say that I agree with your neighbor that nothing that has mexico, peru, cuba on the label should be purchased OR consumed. I do encourage you to research on the USDA website COOL labeling and what it means. If you have any questions, they welcome calls about it.

I have personally flied complaints on local grocery stores who mis-label produce and meat, which is a federal law.

Here in NC we only shop at a chain by the name of Harris Teeter. ALL of their meats are from the US.
We do not buy any produce that isn't from this country. And of course, when the local produce stand has something good we buy from them. Just another way to keep our money and trading in this country.

[litlux]

As the USDA, FDA and EPA continue to battle American factory farms over the amount of waste the cattle and pigs generated, waste that is often left untreated or undertreated, regulations have been enforced. The industrial meat processors don't want to have to actually pay for the cost of cleaning up after their animals, so have begun to move their operations to Mexico where the government has a habit of looking the other way.

I wouldn't buy meat from Mexico, but trying to determine its origins is difficult since the industry has employed lobbyists to be sure you never know. Whatever requirements there are to disclose where food is from is constantly being watered down by the industry which is after profits, not the public interest.

[TexasHorseLady]

If you're really concerned, try Local Harvest and see if you can find a local producer near you.

[MoonBeam33]

If you are truly looking for quality, as well as safety issues, start looking for a local producer of grass-fed/free-range/organic beef. And be sure to ask where the producer has the beef slaughtered and processed. In the meantime, read Fast Food Nation

[BlueWillowPlate]

It's tricky when you want to save money, yet eat well, isn't it?
I like to eat a lot of fish, but run into the farmed vs wild-caught dilemma.
I have used TexasLady's useful site, Local Harvest, before, it is quite helpful.
I actually got a friend's organic farm listed there.
When it comes to meat, I've been pretty satisfied with buffalo from Maverick Ranch, which I first discovered when living in Colorado.
But buying closer to home is best, and I have found out about this place with grassfed beef:
Red Tail Ridge

[TexasHorseLady]

Does anyone know where to get water buffalo meat? I used to buy it at Whole Foods but they don't carry it any more, and it's wonderful - tastes like the best beef you've ever eaten.

[arsbadmojo]

Do you desire to drive the cheapest car? Do you wear the cheapest clothes? Was your house the cheapest in the neighborhood?

So why is cheap food any different? I don't know what goes on in Mexico, but guess what, I don't know what goes on at any major IBP or Monfort slaughterhouses that serve most of the US market either, but I've read some things that have disturbed me greatly.

And who do I go to ask? Can you call Costco and ask about that membrane you saw? What's the number for that?

As a nation we spend very little of our total budget on food. Is cheap food doing us any favors?

I've decided that it's WORTH IT for me to pay more for my food - ESPECIALLY for my meat. There's a movie out right now called Food Inc. It should be required viewing for any meat eater. If you can watch it and walk away without feeling outraged - well, more power to you, but I couldn't.

So my choices were pretty clear, become a vegetarian or find a completely different way of eating. I chose the latter.

I found some farmers in my area that believe in raising animals on pasture was better than grain. That standing in the sunlight eating grass was better than shoulder to shoulder kneee deep in manure. That doing things naturally was better than using antibiotics and growth hormones.

I tell this story a lot, so sorry to repeat myself if you've read it before, but my beef guy is named Roger. If I have any question at all regarding anything to do with cows, beef, a steak, a roast, country music or playing the lottery - Roger is the man. When I buy ground beef from Roger, he can look on his little chart and tell me which cow it came from, and when it was slaughtered.

It's the same for all of my meats - chickens? Brian and JoAnne. Pork and Lamb? I've got a lady for that. Buffalo? I got a guy for that too.

Expensive? Yeah. It is. And guess what, we're not exactly rich. it just comes down to priorities.

And I don't live in the sticks or something; I'm smack dab in the middle of 2 major metropolitan areas. If you had told me a year and a half ago that I'd be buying the vast majority of my meat at farmer's markets I'd have laughed my head off. I didn't even know there was meat sold at a farmer's market. I didn't know where one was. So if you're thinking that you couldn't do that - you might want to look into it. It was a lot easier to find than I thought it would be.

I'm kind on a soapbox here, I know - and if I come off preachy, it's just that it is something I feel quite strongly about.

[thebreadlady]

find a local producer and buy a half or quarter of beef for the freezer. it's cheaper that way.
anyone who has ever set foot in a feedlot would not eat that beef. the cows look so sad.
cows need to graze.
grass-fed beef is much healthier for us. you have to learn not to over-cook it though or it dries out.

[Niftybergin]

Originally Posted by CometVoyager

Personally would rather have quality than price.

I would imagine that if you TRULY want to go for quality, you need to find a local farm that sells their beef. I'm getting more and more anxious about our "commercial-farmed" meat. (New article on MRSA in Prevention has me mildly spooked.)