Why is it important to "Know Your Farmer"?
There are so many buzzwords floating around in the food industry right now – some are defined by CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) and some are not. Terms like “Free Run”, “Free Range” and “Organic” are defined and regulated – to varying degrees.
“Free Run” – used exclusively with poultry - simply means chickens are not caged – it is debatable with stocking densities allowed whether free run is any better as the animals have to compete for food and water – at least in a cage they can eat and drink as they choose.
“Free Range” – used almost exclusively with poultry – it could also apply to pigs – simply means the animal is allowed outside. There is no requirements for how long they are allowed outside per day or how much space they have to have.
“Organic” – is a fairly regulated – requires outside audits to verify the farm is following the standards – but it is expensive for the farm to get certified and in certain areas it is not feasible for a farm. One example I use when customers ask us if we are “Organic” is: We buy all our hay from a local farm, he doesn’t spray his crops, he doesn’t do anything to the fields – just cuts and bales, but because he isn’t certified organic – if we were I would not be allowed to buy his hay. The closest “Organic” hay is 3+ hours from us, and costs significantly more than our current local guy – does it mean the hay is any better – no – it just means a certifying partner has verified he is following the standards – but I would have to pay more for my hay and transport 3+ hours adding extra cost as well. We also feed a lot of apples in the fall – picked from backyards and wild trees – again not sprayed – but because they aren’t certified organic – I couldn’t feed them.
Those terms are simple – and the consumer can purchase with some peace of mind on the minimum living standards for the animals. But there are a lot of terms that are not yet defined by CFIA – the ones I will focus on are ones used by our farm – “Pasture Raised”, “Humanely Raised”, “Sustainable Farming”, “Ethical Farming” and “Locally Grown / Raised”
As you continue reading – these are our opinions and what we feel the terms mean – you as a consumer – need to decide what these terms mean to you – and what you want for your family!
“Pasture Raised” – a customer once asked me why we claim “Pasture Raised” because when he thinks of pasture he thinks of big green fields, which we do not have. To be honest I paint the same picture in my mind when I think of pasture – so we are starting to move towards using “Woodland Pasture Raised”
One definition I found on Humanitarian.org is:
“Pasture-raised animals live primarily on fields or in woods, where they eat grass, plants, or shrubs.
That said, farmers might add grain to the diet of pasture-raised animals during the winter, when pastures are covered with snow and animals are brought inside. And pigs and chickens raised on pasture need at least some grain to thrive. (If you want 100% grass-fed meat, look for that label, not this one.)
How pasture-based farming can benefit animals:
Animals on pasture are like schoolkids on a playground: they have room to roam, fresh air and sunshine, and the company of other animals.
Pastured animals are eating what their bodies evolved to eat, lessening the chance of illness.
If a farmer is managing her grassland well, the chance of parasites and other health problems for animals is reduced.
Pasturing is experiencing a renaissance in America and there’s lots of info about how it benefits animals.”
I think this definition paints an accurate picture – the animals have room, they are eating well – with or without supplements and they can be happy and healthy. In doing some searching for what people label as “Pasture Raised” I found some less than ideal examples as well.
*Note – the farm in this picture did not claim pasture raised but a reseller using / selling their products does *
“Humanely Raised” / “Humane Certified” – Some certifications exist requiring farm audits – the one we are currently pursuing is “SPCA Certified” – this program has been around for quite a while – but is starting to gain recognition on a larger scale. Their basic principles can be found on the program website – highlights are as follows:
“While we acknowledge that it is not possible to prevent animals from experiencing all pain or discomfort in their lives, our Standards strive to provide animals with the following Five Freedoms, which are derived from those first described by the Farm Animal Welfare Council of the U.K.:
1. Freedom from hunger and thirst 2. Freedom from pain, injury, and disease 3. Freedom from distress 4. Freedom from discomfort 5. Freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being
Highlights from the Standards
- Egg-laying hens are free from cages; - Pregnant pigs are free from confinement in gestation stalls and farrowing crates; - Painful practices like dehorning, mulesing (sheep) and toe clipping (poultry) are prohibited; - Use of pain medication is required for necessary practices that cause pain; - Lameness in farm animals is assessed and addressed; - Animal environments are designed to promote comfort and healthy social interactions; - Animals are not fed antibiotics, ionophores or hormones for growth enhancement.”
We meet or exceed 99% of their requirements for both our pigs and our meat chickens, our challenge is because of our location – we are working to get a relationship with a swine vet – once we get that we should be good to get the audit done, then we can change our claim from “Humanely Raised” to “Humanely Certified”.
Again – there is no standards – except if the farm is certified – so talking with your farmer to learn what they feel is humane is critical.
“Locally Grown / Raised” – Ideally this means within 100 miles (160 KM) – but that isn’t always possible. We travel further than that to some of the markets we attend on a regular basis, and are looking at expanding that next year.
Personally, I look for within 100 miles (160 KM) first, and then expand from there; within the province, then within Canada, then within North America – but there are still a few things that are not able to be grown in North America. As a consumer driven society grocery stores are expected to have fresh tomato in January – even though it doesn’t grow in January locally, they are expected to have every cut of meat, every type of meat – all the time ready for pickup on the way home from work. That is a hard demand for local family farms to fill – we have challenges with processing times, regular supply (to keep fresh in a store you have to process every few days at minimum), etc.
The line on “Local” also gets blurred with people who purchase products and resell – the reseller maybe local – but their supplier may not be - so research is imperative.
If you want to know your food – the best way to ensure you are getting what you want is to know your farmer – and where possible – buy direct from the farmer!
