Deciphering beef labels: Facts and misconceptions
From “grass-fed” to “antibiotic-free,” what does the language on beef labels tell us?
In a time when labels are as much about marketing as they are about information, it’s no wonder that 65% of people say they have a hard time deciphering food labels, and more than half doubt the honesty of label claims.
The broad range of the terminology, with many small variations, is one major obstacle. We wonder: Is “grass-fed” beef healthier? Is it different from “grass-finished”? Can beef contain any hormones if it’s labeled “hormone-free”? Is beef labeled as “organic” really better for our health, or for the environment?
Let’s break it down.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “grass-fed” beef is from cows that have eaten only grass and forage since weaning. Some consumers look for this label because they prefer the taste of grass-fed beef; others prefer it because grass-fed beef has been shown to contain higher levels of certain nutrients, though the differences are minor.
Here’s the thing, though: In 2016, the USDA revoked its standards for labeling beef as “ leaving it up to third-party organizations to determine what “grass-fed” means. A cow could have been fed grass only during the first part of its life, as most cows are, or it could have been fed grass for its entire life. By looking at the label, you won’t know the difference.
If you want to ensure that your beef is from a cow that was never fed grain, look for labels that say “100% grass-fed” or a third-party certification for “grass-finished” that verifies the cow was never given grain at any stage. Some third-party certifiers require a label to say “100% grass-fed and grass-finished,” while others may use the phrase “grass-finished” by itself.
While grass-fed beef is often marketed as both and better for the environment, it’s not inherently either. Some studies have shown that grass-fed beef contains higher levels of certain nutrients, but the differences are not significant enough to consider it “healthier” than grain-fed beef.
As for the environmental impact, research from the CLEAR Center at the University of California, Davis found that grass-fed cows typically take longer than grain-fed cows to reach market weight. This means they’re emitting methane over a longer period of time, which is an important consideration. Studies have also shown that cows on forage diets emit about twice as much methane per day as those on high-grain diets.
Also, around 75–80% of the grass-fed , though it may still be labeled as U.S. beef if it was processed here. This is because U.S. beef farmers commonly feed grain as a way of efficiently and sustainably raising cattle to market weight while also ensuring the quality of the beef and meeting consumer demand. The environmental impact of transporting grass-fed beef to the U.S. from countries as far away as Australia and New Zealand is significant.
Generally speaking, if a food is labeled as “organic,” that means it was grown and processed without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, genetic engineering, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, sewage sludge or irradiation.
The USDA organic seal is the gold standard. To earn it, farmers must adhere to a strict set of federal standards and regulations. These require cows to be raised on certified-organic pasture, fed 100% organic feed, and never treated with unapproved antibiotics or added growth hormones. The farming system must be free from synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and the cows must have access to outdoor living conditions that support their natural behaviors.
A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition, which examined multiple studies conducted on organic beef, showed only minimal differences in the levels of nutrients like minerals and fatty acids when compared to conventionally raised meat.
As for sustainability, while organic farming can offer environmental benefits such as improved soil quality and increased biodiversiy, it can also require more land and resources to produce the same yields as large-scale farming, thus potentially increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Regenerative farming methods like rotational grazing can reduce the environmental impact, but sustainability outcomes depend on a variety of factors, including farm management practices and regional conditions.
This is a tricky one since there’s really no such thing as hormone-free beef; all beef naturally contains hormones. Labels like “no added hormones” and “raised without hormones” are clearer, as they indicate that no were used. However, beef that comes from cows that were exposed to supplementary steroid hormones before birth (i.e., through their mother during pregnancy) can still be labeled as “no added hormones” or “raised without hormones” as long as they were not given any additional hormones after birth.
Fact: Hormone supplementation in cattle is strictly regulated, and decades of studies by global organizations have concluded that beef from hormone-treated cattle poses no measurable risk to humans. In fact, a serving of beef from hormone-treated cattle contains significantly less than other common foods, like soy or eggs.
It’s also important to note that hormone supplementation can actually benefit the environment. For instance, growth hormones are sometimes used in large-scale farming to improve efficiency and help cattle grow faster, which reduces their lifetime emissions.
The claim “antibiotic-free” is not regulated by the USDA. That’s because all meat, poultry and dairy sold in the U.S. is completely free of antibiotic residues, as required by federal law. Strict withdrawal periods and testing are required to ensure this, so farmers who use antibiotics must stop giving them to cows well before they are processed.
Labels such as “no antibiotics ever” or “raised without antibiotics” are more informative, meaning that the cow was not treated with antibiotics at any point. However, some similar-sounding labels don’t guarantee this. For instance, the label “no subtherapeutic antibiotics” means that while antibiotics weren’t used preventively, they were used at some point to treat illness.
Since the beef we buy in the U.S. is required to be completely free of antibiotics by the time we buy it, there are no health effects.
However, with the rise of antibiotic resistance worldwide, there are environmental concerns related to antibiotic use on cattle farms. These concerns have focused largely on preventive antibiotics, which used to be given as a matter of course.
Now, farmers and ranchers are better equipped with science-backed methods to optimize their feed and animal management practices. These improvements help prevent both chronic and acute health issues, thereby reducing the need for antibiotics, which are now used primarily to treat specific conditions when necessary.
Who can be trusted to provide accurate labeling? Look for trusted certifications and clear labeling from organizations like the American Grassfed Association (AGA), Food Alliance Certified, the USDA Organic Seal, Non-GMO Project Verified, Global Animal Partnership (GAP) and Certified Responsible Antibiotic Use (CRAU).
It’s important to remember that all meat sold on store shelves is carefully regulated to meet strict standards that ensure quality, safety and nutrition. And while certifications can be useful, they can also represent an added cost for producers. So, there’s a chance that beef labeled without any certifications was still raised to the same standards; it just wasn’t certified.
Outside the U.S., label standards and certifications vary by region, so the definitions of terms like “organic” or “grass-fed” may differ. Look for trusted local or global certifications, such as the EU Organic Seal, to make informed choices wherever you are.
And remember, it’s not just about what’s on the label. It’s about learning how to navigate a complex food system with confidence. By understanding what the terminology actually means, you can make decisions that align with your priorities — whether that’s nutrition, sustainability or just knowing more about the food on your plate.
From “grass-fed” to “antibiotic-free,” what does the language on beef labels tell us?
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