The producers involved with Pasture to Plate Grassfed Meats must follow a very high standard of agricultural practices.

Though they may choose to become fully certified organic through a third party certifying body, I have not made this a requirement. However the rigorous standards to be met are definitely in line with the organic standards, in many instances I believe them to be beyond what is required for certification.

On the main page you may click on any one of the growers and read up on exactly what practices are used, feeds used for livestock, their health program and so on. This way you have access to all the details involved in producing the final products.

Outline of requirements for producers selling to Pasture to Plate:

• Cattle and sheep are to receive no grain (soaked peas are a great legume substitute which do not undermine the nutritional value of the meat and keep the sweet flavor, especially apparent in the pork).
• The pastures on which the stock graze must under no circumstances be sprayed or otherwise treated with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or fungicides.
• The land on which the stock graze (and any feed they are given including hay and peas) may not be seeded with/ grown from GMO seed stock.
• The supplier of the winter feed, (hay, peas) must supply an affidavit ensuring that they use no GMO seed, synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides on the crops from which they supply your feed. Such a document is available for viewing upon request by the consumer.
• The herd (grown for market) may not be injected with any of the following: vaccinations, vitamin injections, growth promoting hormones, and none (including breeding stock) may be treated with oral or topical chemical parasite control products.
• The herd must be cared for with natural parasite control products including garlic concentrate and diatomatious earth as well as receive supplement of a good quality natural salt.
• If a member of the herd to be harvested for meat must be treated with antibiotics for any reason, this animal is to be ear-marked for clear identification purposes and not be sold to Pasture to Plate Grassfed Meats.
• The animals will not be harvested until they have reached an optimum weight and degree of finish.
• Each package will be marked with the grower’s name for traceability, and credit to the grower.
• The producers are strongly encouraged to employ the biodynamic farming practices, though this is not mandatory as it takes time to adjust and grow into.
• The producers are expected to take the best of care of the lands they steward and always work to improve the habitat for both the domestic and wild animals. There are a variety of land conservation projects you will be introduced to through the individual growers journals, linked on the main page.

***note the criteria is not strictly limited to the above and I may add  to this list.

There is a lot of communication between the producers and myself; we work together to find and implement solutions, they are encouraged to experiment and try new things as well as work amongst each other and share ideas and knowledge.

Planning each year’s supply based on demand requires a lot of coordination, especially with the beef herd because there we need to think at least a year and a half ahead!