Heritage Cattle Company – Bailieboro, Ontario

Aaron MacDonald, along with his father George, and his brother Ben, raise Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW beef cattle at Heritage Cattle Company in Bailieboro, Ontario. The MacDonalds, a multi-generation farming family, raise their animals on 250 acres of pastureland. “All our cattle are free range, with lots of pasture to roam on. The pasture is made up of mixed grasses and legumes, which provide them a full range of nutrients and minerals,” says Aaron MacDonald.

The MacDonalds raise 100 beef cattle at Heritage Cattle Company. “Our cattle spend their entire lives eating fresh natural wild grasses, with additional hay in the winter,” says Aaron. “No routine antibiotics or growth hormones are used because we want natural beef only.”

In addition to being Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, the cattle herd at Heritage Cattle Company is Certified Grassfed by AGW, the first—and only—food label in the U.S. and Canada that guarantees food products come from animals fed a 100% grass and forage diet, and raised entirely outdoors on pasture or range.

In addition to their Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW certifications, Heritage Cattle Company decided to take their commitment to sustainable farming practices one step further by also becoming Certified Non-GMO by AGW. They are the first farming business in Canada to achieve this certification for beef cattle, which is the only certification and logo in the U.S. and Canada that guarantees a food product is produced without the use of genetically modified feed, supplements or ingredients, and comes from animals managed according to the Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW leading welfare and environmental standards on an independent farm.

The MacDonalds are passionate about the quality of their grasses for their animals. “The most important aspect of what we do is having good healthy pastures. It’s better for the animals, the environment, and it makes the quality of the beef much better, too,” explains Aaron. “We aren’t forcing animals to try and find food to eat. They are always happy and eating and gaining weight, which leads to good marbling and finally, an excellent eating experience for our customers.”

In their search for a third-party farm certification for their animals, the MacDonalds sought out a program that would help them to stand out in the marketplace: “We wanted to be recognized as a leader in the grassfed beef industry in Ontario, Canada and the certifications by A Greener World seemed like the perfect fit. We are very happy with our choice to get certified and we are looking forward to encouraging more producers in the area to do the same.”

Heritage Cattle Company’s Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW, Certified Non-GMO by AGW beef is available direct from the farm. For more information about Heritage Cattle Company, visit heritagebeef.ca and the farm’s Instagram or contact Aaron MacDonald at aaron@heritagebeef.ca.