White Oak Pastures, a producer of premium grassfed ground beef in Early County, Ga., and McLeod Creamery at Oak Grove Meadows, a 560-acre farm in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, are the two newest producers to be certified to use Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) “Certified Humane Raised and Handled” label.
Unveiled in May 2003 and now being used by 33 companies, the Certified Humane label assures consumers that a meat, poultry, egg or dairy product has been produced in compliance with HFAC’s precise standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive a nutritious diet free of antibiotics or hormones and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space that are sufficient to support natural behavior.
White Oak Pastures’ All-Natural Ground Beef is produced by the fifth generation of Harris family members on their farm in southwest Georgia, where cattle roam free and graze on 1000-acres of rich grassland and are processed in small groups at a facility close to the Harris farm. Their beef is hand-cut, immediately double ground and then vacuum sealed and frozen, making it “fresher than fresh,” said Will Harris.
White Oak Pastures focuses on selling high-quality ground beef that is derived from premium cuts — the loin, rib eye and the sirloin — rather than from the poorest cuts, which is the common industry practice.
White Oak Pastures All-Natural Grassfed Ground Beef is distributed through Tree of Life, and can be purchased in the frozen food sections of natural foods and health food stores throughout the Southeast (from Washington, D.C., to Miami, Fla.), at 15 Publix grocery stores in the Atlanta area and by mail order through www.blakelyfreezerlocker.com. For more information about White Oak Pastures, visit www.whiteoakpastures.com.
McLeod Farms and Creamery raises Ayrshire dairy cows, named after the Scottish county where the breed originated over 250 years ago. Ayrshires thrive on pasture and are known for their hardiness and ability to withstand the heat of a Virginia summer. The high-protein milk they produce is used to create organic raw-milk cheeses at the farm. Males are sold as young dairy beef, called Rosie Veal. More than 200 Ayrshires graze on McLeod’s grassland and clover fields, which have never been treated with artificial pesticides or fertilizers. McLeod Farms is certified organic through QAI, Inc. in California.
“We love our cows. Raising them on pasture makes their milk taste better and infuses our cheeses, not just with nutrients but also with the flavor of the land,” said Katherine McLeod, founder of McLeod Farms and Creamery.
McLeod’s cheeses are sold at local Farmer’s Markets. Its Rosie Veal is sold to restaurants and individuals. For more information, visit www.mcleodorganics.com.
All producers authorized to use the “Certified Humane” label must meet HFAC’s Animal Care Standards, which were developed by a veritable “Who’s Who” of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts. Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site inspections by HFAC’s third-party inspectors.
HFAC is a national nonprofit organization supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), regional and local animal protection organizations, foundations and individuals. More information can be found at HFAC’s website, www.certifiedhumane.org.
News from Humane Farm Animal Care
P.O. Box 727, Herndon, Virginia 20172 – (703) 435-3883
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michele Wells, Humane Farm Animal Care – (303) 417-0696
Georgia Grassfed Beef Producer and Virginia Cheese Producer are Two Newest “Certified Humane” Producers
Posted: August 2, 2005 by Certified Humane
White Oak Pastures, a producer of premium grassfed ground beef in Early County, Ga., and McLeod Creamery at Oak Grove Meadows, a 560-acre farm in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, are the two newest producers to be certified to use Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) “Certified Humane Raised and Handled” label.
Unveiled in May 2003 and now being used by 33 companies, the Certified Humane label assures consumers that a meat, poultry, egg or dairy product has been produced in compliance with HFAC’s precise standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive a nutritious diet free of antibiotics or hormones and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space that are sufficient to support natural behavior.
White Oak Pastures’ All-Natural Ground Beef is produced by the fifth generation of Harris family members on their farm in southwest Georgia, where cattle roam free and graze on 1000-acres of rich grassland and are processed in small groups at a facility close to the Harris farm. Their beef is hand-cut, immediately double ground and then vacuum sealed and frozen, making it “fresher than fresh,” said Will Harris.
White Oak Pastures focuses on selling high-quality ground beef that is derived from premium cuts — the loin, rib eye and the sirloin — rather than from the poorest cuts, which is the common industry practice.
White Oak Pastures All-Natural Grassfed Ground Beef is distributed through Tree of Life, and can be purchased in the frozen food sections of natural foods and health food stores throughout the Southeast (from Washington, D.C., to Miami, Fla.), at 15 Publix grocery stores in the Atlanta area and by mail order through www.blakelyfreezerlocker.com. For more information about White Oak Pastures, visit www.whiteoakpastures.com.
McLeod Farms and Creamery raises Ayrshire dairy cows, named after the Scottish county where the breed originated over 250 years ago. Ayrshires thrive on pasture and are known for their hardiness and ability to withstand the heat of a Virginia summer. The high-protein milk they produce is used to create organic raw-milk cheeses at the farm. Males are sold as young dairy beef, called Rosie Veal. More than 200 Ayrshires graze on McLeod’s grassland and clover fields, which have never been treated with artificial pesticides or fertilizers. McLeod Farms is certified organic through QAI, Inc. in California.
“We love our cows. Raising them on pasture makes their milk taste better and infuses our cheeses, not just with nutrients but also with the flavor of the land,” said Katherine McLeod, founder of McLeod Farms and Creamery.
McLeod’s cheeses are sold at local Farmer’s Markets. Its Rosie Veal is sold to restaurants and individuals. For more information, visit www.mcleodorganics.com.
All producers authorized to use the “Certified Humane” label must meet HFAC’s Animal Care Standards, which were developed by a veritable “Who’s Who” of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts. Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site inspections by HFAC’s third-party inspectors.
HFAC is a national nonprofit organization supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), regional and local animal protection organizations, foundations and individuals. More information can be found at HFAC’s website, www.certifiedhumane.org.
News from Humane Farm Animal Care
P.O. Box 727, Herndon, Virginia 20172 – (703) 435-3883
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michele Wells, Humane Farm Animal Care – (303) 417-0696
Category: press