La Cense Beef First to Receive Rigorous USDA "Grass Fed" Certification

October 1, 2009 2:22 PM EDT

- First Ever Certification Sets Higher and Healthier Standards for the Beef Industry and Boosts Consumer Confidence -

DILLON, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- La Cense Beef ("La Cense"), the leader in the grass fed beef industry, selling exclusively from its Montana ranch direct to consumers, announced today that the United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA") has named it the first beef producer in America to meet its rigorous "Grass Fed Beef" standard. The first certification of its kind, the move promotes higher and healthier standards for the beef industry, and gives consumers a reason to be confident in the grass fed beef they are buying and consuming.

"By achieving the new USDA certification, we are meeting the standard for grass fed beef, and we continue to set the bar," said La Cense Beef owner William Kriegel. "From this day forward, consumers can purchase our grass fed beef with complete confidence."

To achieve the certification, La Cense upheld its status as a pioneer in the industry by successfully enduring a rigorous auditing process by third-party, Verified Beef. The process included reviewing all ranching practices, its structure and management, training of employees, the inspection of all feeds, records and labels and the administration of all foods and drugs. The audit confirms La Cense cattle to be truly 100 percent grass fed, never exposed to antibiotics, animal by-products or growth promotants, never treated with hormones, and source and age verified. It is only with source and age verification that consumers can be assured that they know what they are buying and can trust specific marketing claims.

The USDA launched the grass fed standard as a way to verify that companies claiming to raise cattle to be 100 percent grass fed are able to prove that claim. According to the standard, cattle can consume only grass and forage throughout their lifetimes, with the exception of milk prior to weaning, cannot be fed any grain or grain by-products, and must have continuous access to pasture.

Kriegel concluded, "This certification verifies our philosophy and production methods. We call on all companies claiming to sell grass fed beef to follow our lead and seek formal certification from the USDA."

A leader in raising all natural, grass fed, top-grade Black Angus cattle, La Cense is devoted to sustainable ranching. As consumers continue to seek the benefits of sustainable food alternatives like grass fed beef, the USDA's first certification underscores the emphasis consumers are placing on healthier, more humane and environmentally responsible alternatives to traditional feedlot, mass food production.

The Grass Fed Beef Difference

Grass fed beef has been recognized to be better than grain fed beef for human health, the animal and the environment. According to numerous studies comparing the two, grass fed beef is shown to be lower in total fat and calories than grain fed conventional beef. The higher Beta Carotene level in grass fed beef is helpful in reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Grass fed beef is also higher in Omega-3 fatty acids essential for enhancing heart health and reducing the risk of arthritis, obesity, insulin resistance, allergies and autoimmune diseases.

La Cense Beef is committed to a natural and compassionate approach to sustainable ranching. Animals raised through La Cense's grass fed practices are allowed to roam free on the land while rotationally grazing from pasture to pasture, eating only the tall tips of the grass. This meal makes for a stronger, healthier cow. Alternatively, cows fed grain suffer digestive problems often resulting in the need for antibiotics or drugs.

Industrial grain-based feedlot operations foul the environment, expose cattle to inhumane conditions, require intensive consumption of fossil fuels and produce higher levels of environmental pollutants. Sustainable ranching management and practices on La Cense's ranch help keep cattle, air, land, and water healthy.

About La Cense Beef:

The first company to meet the USDA's "grass fed" standard, La Cense Beef is a leading, all-natural cattle ranch focused on raising top-grade Black Angus cattle for exclusive direct-to-consumer beef sale. La Cense's 88,000-acre ranch in southwest Montana follows the principles of sustainable ranching, including free roaming and rotational grazing. The team of La Cense Beef ranchers with years of experience working on Montana land with cattle, help ensure that a humane, stress-free environment is maintained. The La Cense Beef ranch sits at an altitude of 5100 feet in a pristine, vast landscape where the cattle enjoy the most natural, unadulterated life possible.

    Source: La Cense Beef

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