Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
if it can be justifi ed due to inclement weather, stage of production, or
situations where the animals' health and safety are in jeopardy.
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All feed, whether raised on the farm or purchased, must be certifi ed
organic and cannot contain synthetic hormones, medications, or other
restricted materials. Pastures and croplands that provide food for the
animals must be maintained without the use of pesticides, herbicides,
chemical fertilizers, or other restricted materials. Even bedding has to
be certifi ed organic.
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During processing, your organic meat cannot come into contact with
someone else's nonorganic meat, which means your slaughterhouse will
have to be set up so that it can accommodate organic animals. During
the processing of meat products, such as sausage, you cannot use pre-
servatives or any kind of artifi cial fl avoring agents.
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Health issues are far more challenging under organic standards: Animals
may receive vaccinations, but beyond that there are strict limitations on
the use of any medications, including anthelmintic drugs. Those being
raised for slaughter cannot be treated with any antibiotics, anthelmin-
tics, growth implants, or other prohibited materials. Breeding stock may
be dewormed during the fi rst two-thirds of gestation with Ivermectin on
the basis of actual fecal-egg-count tests documenting that the treatment
is necessary — in other words, animals can't be treated on a routine
preventive schedule — but because there is a 90-day withdrawal period,
and no lamb can nurse during that period, it just about eliminates the
possibility of using Ivermectin even on your breeding stock. If in doubt,
your organic certifi er can help clarify when you might be able to use it
safely for breeding animals.
In spite of the challenges, if you are able to produce and market organic
lamb, you will get premium pricing for your product. Chapter 11 discusses
products and marketing and will help you evaluate the costs and benefi ts of
becoming certifi ably organic.
Grassfed Production
For several decades there has been a movement among sustainable farmers to
produce meat (and other animal products, such as milk) strictly off grass, and
now consumers have begun to recognize not only that grassfed meat is more
nutritious than meat from animals raised in confi nement and fed a grain diet
but that it is also the product of better environmental practices.
