Beef labels

Mostly unregulated, they can confuse

By Kim Carlson

February 19, 2009

In an excellent buyer-awareness story in the Oregonian this week, Leslie Cole helps readers sort out the various labels applied to beef — from “dry aged” to “grass-fed.”

Turns out “grass-fed” doesn’t mean “all-grass-fed” all the time. It might mean “grass-fed, grain-finished” — but even that’s not always straightforward.

The takeaway? Inform yourself. One of the story’s sources, Carrie Oliver, of the website Oliver Ranch, suggests shoppers need to look beyond the packaging:

“Oliver suggests looking past vagaries on the label, doing your homework, and finding producers you can trust.”

Bonus: Read to the end of the article for an interview with Betty Fussell, author of Raising Steaks.

Related article: Steaking a claim