Animal Welfare Approved Featured in Winston Salem Journal Newspaper
The Animal Welfare Approved program and farmer Lee Menius have been featured in a major story in the Winston Salem Journal newspaper by the paper's food editor, Michael Hastings. "In 2001, Lee and his wife, Domisty, started moving away from conventional livestock agriculture toward raising animals naturally in pastures, slaughtering them humanely and selling the meat directly to consumers." "We're doing it because it's the right thing to do," Menius said. Last year, Menius started participating in a program for…
Farmers Enlist Mother Nature in Rodent Control
Farmers of Israel, Palestine and Jordan are utilizing an alternative method of pest control: birds of prey. Owls and kestrels are now being courted with nests and plentiful hunting grounds, that they may serve as a "natural" means to keep the rodent population in check. Previously, rodenticides had been sprayed on crops to deter the pests. This proved fatal to hundreds of birds of prey - including many endangered species - that died after eating the poisoned animals. Quests for an alternative method ultimately led to a government-funded program encouraging the erection of nesting boxes for owls and kestrels - birds whose complementary hunting patterns result in 24-hour rodent control. A kibbutz, or farming village, in the Bet-She'an Valley was one of the first to employ this method in 1983. The practice has now blossomed into a partnership between three countries, multiple charities, scientists and farmers, in an effort to reduce the amount of chemical pesticides used on middle eastern farms.
A Taste That’s Truly Texas: Hut’s Now Serving Animal Welfare Approved Texas Longhorn Burgers
Hut's Hamburgers, an Austin tradition since 1939, has added that iconic symbol of Texas-the Longhorn-to its menu. Animal Welfare Approved Bandera Grassland of Tarpley, Texas is supplying the restaurant with pure Texas Longhorn beef from cattle that are direct descendants of the Iberian cattle brought by the Spaniards in the 1500s. The Animal Welfare Approved seal is an assurance to consumers that cattle from Bandera Grassland have been treated according to the highest welfare standards. "We were interested in the beef because of its unique history and strong identification with Texas, but what sold us on the burger was the spectacular taste," said Michael Hutchinson, the owner of Hut's, which is regularly voted as having the best burgers in Austin and is known nationwide for its innovative menu. "Our customers love it. It tastes like the beef you used to be able to get 150 years ago-like the beef you might have eaten on cattle drives. It's got big, authentic Texas flavor. Having the beef come from an Animal Welfare Approved ranch is an added bonus, because Austin is a town that cares about sustainable agriculture and animal welfare."
New Website Provided by Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network
We wanted to share news about a new website published by the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, nichemeatprocessing.org, which was designed to provide information for smaller meat processors working with local, organic or grassfed products. This resource should be helpful, providing information on processing regulations, mobile processing units, and marketing information. Please see the topics contained in main menu from the website (below). Rules and Regulations Find Help Near You Niche Meat Processor Case Studies Business Development Workforce Management Plant…
