A 4th of July Letter From the Farm
Happy Fourth of July - from our Heartstone Farm family to you and your’s.
I hope you’ve got some fun plans today. If we’re all lucky, this year’s rather persistent rain will hold off a bit for the fireworks!
(Of course our cattle don’t take holidays - so we’ll be spending part of the day moving them to a new pasture - but later on we’re going to grill up some steaks and burgers.)
On this Independence Day - when we celebrate America - I wanted to share something that’s been bugging me:
Did you know that approximately 85-90% of the grassfed beef sold in the U.S, is imported?
Doesn’t that seem kind of ridiculous? I mean I can drive to a grocery store 20 minutes away from where I actually raise grassfed beef, and the grassfed beef I can purchase is from another country, thousands of miles away.
Much of the imported grassed beef comes from Australia and New Zealand, but also Brazil and Uruguay.
It gets worse: even though the beef was raised and slaughtered in those countries, the packaging can still say “Product of the USA.” That’s because a few years ago Congress passed a law that said as long as some of the processing was done at a USDA facility, it could be labeled that way.
My t-shirt label has to say the country of origin, but not the beef I eat.
This loophole allows your grocery store to market their grassfed beef as raised in America.
Big companies like Butcher Box - with websites featuring wholesome American farmers - actually buy 100% of their beef from Australia.
As a Heartstone Farm customer, I want to thank you for supporting us - and buying American.
Buying American beef means you're choosing to support local economies. With each purchase, you're helping to keep American farming traditions alive, and aiding in the economic sustainability of rural communities. You're enabling us farmers to continue providing for our families, while contributing to the broader agricultural industry that this country was built upon. You're also aiding in the creation of local jobs, directly and indirectly, fostering an economy that stays within our own borders.
Moreover, when you buy from your local American farmers, you’re promoting a healthier planet. We're committed to responsible and sustainable farming practices that preserve our land for generations to come. We minimize the miles your food travels from farm to plate, which significantly reduces its carbon footprint. This choice for sustainability and environmental health is a choice for the future — for our children and grandchildren.
Additionally, choosing American means opting for higher welfare standards. We raise our cattle with care, allowing them to graze freely on open pastures, which results in not just healthier and happier cattle, but beef that is naturally rich in essential nutrients.
And there’s one more thing - the taste. I’ve tasted all sorts of grassfed beef from Australia and Uruguay. I truly believe that our beef is some of the best you'll ever have. It's full of flavor, tender, and simply tastes the way nature intended.
In essence, when you choose to buy American, you're making a choice that reflects your values — quality, health, community, sustainability, and more.
On behalf of our family - and our partner neighbor farms - I would like to express our deepest gratitude to you for your continued support of our farm. Together, we are not only creating delicious meals for our families, but we're also nurturing a community that supports local businesses, practices sustainable farming, and holds the health of our planet in high regard.
Wishing you a wonderful Fourth of July,
Farmer Dan
