Herndon, Va., April 15, 2008 – The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label was awarded by the nonprofit Humane Farm Animal Care to Hearst Ranch Beef in San Simeon, Calif.
The Hearst family has raised Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn cattle since 1865 on the ranchlands that surround the famous Hearst Castle in California. Hearst Ranch customers include the food service company Aramark, which serves Hearst Ranch beef at many of their National Park properties and convention centers, fine dining establishments across the country, and artisan food producers such as Let’s Be Frank, which uses Hearst Ranch beef in its all-natural hot dogs. Hearst Ranch Beef is also sold direct to consumers through its on-site store and website.
“We’ve always been proud of our land stewardship and our humane production practices,” stated Hearst Ranch division manager Brian Kenny. “Consumers want to know where their food comes from and how it was produced. Our commitment to quality has always included a commitment to both the health of our herd and to low-stress management practices.”
The Certified Humane Raised and Handled label assures consumers that a meat, poultry, egg or dairy product has been produced according to Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) precise standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space sufficient to support natural behavior. Since HFAC’s program was unveiled in May 2003, more than 60 companies have been certified.
Hearst Ranch cattle are grass-fed and finished on the ranch’s 80,000 acres of sustainable native grasslands, one of the largest working cattle ranches on the California coast, and on the 73,000-acre Jack Ranch in Cholame, Calif., which Hearst acquired in 1966. For more information, visit Hearst Ranch’s website at www.hearstranch.com.
HFAC’s Animal Care Standards were developed by a veritable “Who’s Who” of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts. Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site visits by HFAC’s third-party inspectors.
HFAC is a national nonprofit organization supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), regional and local animal protection organizations, foundations and individuals. More information is available at HFAC’s website, www.certifiedhumane.org.
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I don’t eat beef, but if you do, I agree that you’re much better off getting it from grass-fed cattle than from those that are raised on factory farms and fed grain (not to mention hormones and antibiotics). Cattle evolved to graze on grass; they are not adapted to digest grains, which wreak havoc with their digestive systems, even though they promote faster weight gain. In fact, the need for antibiotics in raising cattle on feedlots results from the alterations in the natural flora of their gastrointestinal tracts from eating grain-based diets.Meat from grass-fed cattle is lower in saturated fat than meat from cattle fed on grain. It also has more omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and conjugated linoleic acid - all good for human health. Incidentally, organic beef isn’t necessarily grass-fed. These cattle may be raised in pesticide-free pastures, but they are taken to feedlots and fed (organic) grain prior to slaughter.Most connoisseurs prefer the stronger flavor of grass-fed beef, even though it varies from location to location and season to season. And it may be a bit less tender than the grain-fed variety. Restauranteurs and marketers tend to like the uniformity of feedlot beef.

People new to grass-fed beef may say it doesn’t taste as good. In one taste test, panelists reported that grass-fed beef had off-flavors (like ammonia) or tasted gamey, bitter, liverish, old, rotten and sour. But Argentineans, who make beef consumption somewhat of a national religion, turn up their noses at our grain-fed steaks. Grass-fed beef is also somewhat more expensive than the meat you’re accustomed to buying in the supermarket, even though it is becoming more widely available. You can find suppliers by searching for “grass fed cattle” on the internet. Grass-fed beef is also turning up more and more frequently in natural-food stores.

Cliff Garrison took this picture from his horse. He sits on his horse at a distance and sends hid dogs out to gather the herd. This is a low-stress method of gathering for the cattle and it is also an effecient and effective way of gathering on the variable terrain of the San Simeon Ranch.

“It’s a heck of a lot easier to rustle someone’s cattle when they are not branded.”

Steve Hearst calls this picture “Five Cowboys at San Simeon.”

The cowboys know how the cattle and the dogs think and they use the dogs to help the cattle move in the desired direction. The result is a management style that leverages the inate behavior both of the cattle and to dogs to get the desired work done with the minimum amount of stress to the cattle.

San Francisco, CA, October 27, 2006 –
The 153,000 acre Hearst Ranch, one of the largest cattle ranching operations on the California coast, has been certified by the non-profit organization Food Alliance for using sustainable agricultural practices. Having passed an independent third-party inspection, Hearst Ranch can now make credible claims for
social and environmental responsibility to support marketing of its all-natural, hormone and antibiotic free, grass-fed beef.

“We’ve always been proud of our land stewardship and dedicated to grass-fed beef,” says ranch manager Brian Kenny. “We think Food Alliance certification proves to our customers that we really walk the walk. We’ve had an independent inspector on our properties to verify the claims we’re making.”

Hearst Ranch customers include the food service company Aramark, which serves Hearst Ranch beef at the Lake Powell Resort, and Let’s Be Frank, which uses Hearst Ranch beef in its all-natural hot dogs. Brian Kenny sees growing interest in certification in the food industry. “Consumers want to know where their food comes from and how it was produced. A lot of companies are seeing that a commitment to quality also includes a commitment to health and to the environment. At the same time the expectations for traceability and transparency are increasing.”

Food Alliance director Scott Exo agrees, “A lot of claims are being made about ‘natural’ and ‘green’ products. Certification ensures that buyers can verify the origin of the product and the conditions under which it was produced. That transparency helps build consumer trust and loyalty.”

Hearst Ranch selected Food Alliance as its certifier because of the breadth of Food Alliance’s standards for sustainable agriculture. “It was really important to us and to our customers that the certification cover both animal welfare and land stewardship,” says Brian Kenny. “We looked at organic and other certifications, and Food Alliance was the certification that covered all the bases.” Food Alliance now has offices in Portland, Oregon and St. Paul, Minnesota. Food Alliance will be opening an office in California in 2007 with support from the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.

“It’s my great pleasure to announce that the Hearst Ranch has been inspected and certified by Food Alliance,” says Scott Exo. “It’s a great opportunity to introduce farmers, ranchers and food processors California to Food Alliance. Certification can be a powerful tool for differentiating products and developing new markets. We’re really looking forward to expanding our program in California.”

About Food Alliance –
Food Alliance is a non-profit organization that certifies farms, ranches and food processors for sustainable agricultural and production practices. Businesses that meet Food Alliance’s standards, as determined by a third-party site inspection, use certification to make credible claims for social and environmental
responsibility, differentiating their products and strengthening their brands. Food Alliance certification standards can be reviewed on the web and include:

• Safe and fair working conditions
• Healthy and humane care for livestock
• No hormones or non-therapeutic antibiotics
• No genetically modified crops or livestock
• Reduction of pesticide use and toxicity
• Conservation of soil and water resources
• Protection of wildlife habitat
• Planning for continuous improvement

Food Alliance launched its certification program in 1998 in Portland, Oregon with a single apple grower selling in three area grocery stores. Today, there are nearly 250 Food Alliance certified farms
and ranches in 16 U.S. states and one Canadian province. These producers manage over 4 million acres of range and farm land, raising beef, lamb, pork, dairy products, mushrooms, dried beans and lentils, wheat, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. An increasing number of Food Alliance certified processed products are also available, including bread, oil, and frozen and canned fruits and
vegetables.

Contact: Scott Exo, Executive Director
Food Alliance
Tel: 503-493-1066
www.FoodAlliance.org

About Hearst Ranch –
The Hearst Ranch, started in 1865 by George Hearst, a successful California Gold Rush miner and later a US Senator, is one of the largest working cattle ranches on the California coast. In addition to the 80,000 acres surrounding the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Hearst Ranch cattle are also grazed on the 73,000-acre Jack Ranch in Cholame, California.

The Hearst Ranch is a member of the American Grass-fed Association. Hearst cattle live a completely natural existence as foragers and grazers. Well-managed grazing is one of the primary reasons for the excellent condition of the coastal prairie and native grasslands along the inland terraces on the ranch. Grazing fertilizes the land naturally, promotes plant growth, and produces a remarkable meat whose flavor is the authentic taste of the American West.

The historic working landscape at Hearst Ranch will be preserved forever thanks to one of the largest land conservation easements in California history, a joint effort with the California Rangeland Trust, the American Land Conservancy and the State of California.

Contact: Brian Kenny, Manager
Hearst Ranch Beef
Tel: ??????????
www.HearstRanch.com