Chet:
>No problem... the answer you provided I find satisfactory. I'm
>mainly curious about the "organic" meat industry in the U.S. We have
>far less restrictive standards than in Europe. I personally believe
>something very akin to "mad cow" phenomena seen in the United
>Kingdom will in the next ten years have an equally ugly step-child
>here in the U.S.

Chet, I think the following compiled from Coleman's sales material will
answer some of your questions:

Best, Peter
[log in to unmask]

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In fact, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
any meat can be labeled "natural" as long as it meets the following
guidelines: " During processing, nothing synthetic is ever added to the
meat including preservatives, and the product is only minimally processed."

We think that the USDA definition of natural is far too lenient because it
only refers to how an animal is processed and has nothing to do with how it
is raised.  Therefore, even meat from an animal that was given growth
hormones and antibiotics its whole life can be labeled "natural."  Beef
raised under a "100 Day Residue Control" program can also be labeled
natural.  These cattle are withdrawn from growth hormones and antibiotics
for the 100 days prior to slaughter - but they've still been give chemicals
up to that point.  We don't think this is right.

Every box of Coleman Natural Beef shipped to your butcher carries the USDA
definition of "natural", plus our own, much stronger statement of purity:
"Our animals never receive any antibiotics or growth hormones from the time
they are born.  Any animal requiring therapeutic treatment is treated and
removed from the herd.  No antibiotics were ever added to the feed.  Only
vitamins and minerals are added to these feeds."

Sure it costs more to raise cattle slowly, the way nature intended -
without added growth hormones and antibiotics from birth.  But we simply
don't believe in giving drugs to perfectly healthy animals just to speed up
their growth.  Like so many people, we're also concerned about the overuse
of antibiotics and their increasing ineffectiveness at fighting diseases.
And since the long-term effects of growth hormones on humans are unknown,
we're not willing to take the risk.

Coleman's cattle raising and range management programs serve as national
models for treating animals humanely and land gently.  We figure it's the
only way to ranch.  And we guess it's the "secret" to our great tasting,
tender beef.

America's grasslands are a renewable natural resource covering 65 percent
of our nation's surface.  Most grasslands areas are too rugged, arid or
mountainous to cultivate crops, but are ideal for grazing cattle.  Cattle
ranching represents a highly efficient use of this generally unusable land,
since the remaining 60 percent is used for a wide variety of valuable
by-products.

The early animal inhabitants of America's range included vast herds of
buffalo that followed natural rotational grazing patterns.  By the late
19th century, the buffalo were gone, and the ranchers grazed cattle and
sheep continuously over the same areas, steadily damaging the environment
that supported them.

Over the years, the Coleman family developed a range management system that
uses a series of fenced pastures to prevent overgrazing.  The Colemans
discovered that controlled, rotated herds actually break up crusted soil,
allowing more moisture to seep into the ground and germinate grass seeds.

In 1960 the U.S government began to require rotational grazing practices on
all public lands, imitating the buffalo's behavior.  Before and after
studies confirm that planned rotational grazing encourages the highest
quality range grass to grow faster and more densely, leading to less soil
erosion, better watershed, cleaner water and improved wildlife populations.
 In fact, a recent study has shown that 84 percent of cattlemen report that
they have more wildlife on their land than ten years ago.

The U.S Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Society for
Range Management and other authorities agree that rotational grazing
improves rangeland faster than no grazing at all.  Indeed, rotational
grazing transforms America's grasslands from a largely under-utilized
natural resource to one that is sustainable, renewable an valuable.

The Coleman range management program is based on 1) proper kind of
livestock, 2) proper number of livestock 3) correct season for grazing,
4)proper rotational distribution of animals over the range and 5)
cooperation with other users of the land to protect watersheds, wildlife
and recreation.

This system of sustainable ranching practices combined with our no growth
hormone, no antibiotics policies enables us to produce great tasting beef
without compromising the quality of the environment.

What gives Coleman Natural Beef its delicious flavor and tenderness?  The
answer is surprisingly simple.  It's the Coleman family tradition of
raising animals the old-fashioned way - slowly and naturally from birth,
without growth hormones and antibiotics.  We like to think our lean, juicy
beef is extra tasty and tender because "man hasn't messed with it."

Coleman quality begins long before an animal is even born - with good
breeding.  Our staff selects a mixture of English quality breeds (primarily
Black Angus and Hereford) and leaner exotic breeds to produce the highest
quality beef there is.

In addition, we have strict specifications for weight, yield and fat
grades.  We provide each Coleman Certified Rancher and Feeder with detailed
instructions on how to feed cattle to reduce surface fat and to develop
just the right amount of intramuscular marbling for maximum flavor and
juiciness.

All animals in the Coleman program are free-range and grass-fed for the
first 12-18 months of life and are never given growth hormones or
antibiotics.  In addition the rangelands are randomly and periodically
tested for residues of over 30 different pesticides and herbicides.

Once the cattle arrive at Coleman Certified Feed yards, they consume a
carefully controlled blend of corn, hay and a protein supplement that is
regularly tested for antibiotics and residues of pesticides and herbicides.
The result is delicious, wholesome, chemical-free product that is "Coleman
Clean" - the highest standard there is for natural meat.

It is a known fat that stress in cattle produces less desirable beef.
That's because adrenaline creates sugars that darken and toughen muscles,
which in turn affects the taste.

At Coleman, we try to reduce stress among our cattle at every step of the
raising and handling process.  For example, we require cattle to have
sufficient space in our shipping trailers to prevent overcrowding, and the
exhaust stacks are high enough so fumes don't enter the trailer.
Furthermore, Coleman cattle are given at least 40 percent more feedlot
space than ordinary cattle to minimize stress and prevent disease We
strongly believe that the humane treatment and handling of animals results
in better tasting products.  And besides, it's the right thing to do.

In the end, we don't have a scientific explanation for the great taste of
lean Coleman Natural Beef.  We simply refer you to the fact that our beef
won a Gold Medal from the Monde Selection, a prestigious European Culinary
Group, as well as from the Chefs of America.

>From the New York Times to the L.A. Times, food critics agree: Coleman
Natural Beef is a flavorful testament to keeping things simple.