Where to Buy Organic Beef: A Guide to Finding High-Quality Grass-Fed Meat

Organic beef has exploded in popularity over the last decade and for good reason. Not only is organic meat better for the environment, but it is also healthier tastier, and more humane than conventional beef. As more people become aware of what they eat, the demand for organic, grass-fed beef continues to grow.

But not all organic beef is created equal. Finding a reliable source for high-quality organic meat can be tricky. In this guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about buying organic beef directly from farms, what to look for in organic meat, and provide recommendations for the best places to purchase grass-fed beef online.

Why Choose Organic Beef?

Organic beef comes from cows that are raised on organic grass pastures without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides hormones, or antibiotics. Here are some of the main benefits of choosing organic over conventional beef

• Healthier meat: Organic beef has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both linked to improved heart health. Grass-fed cows also have higher levels of antioxidants like vitamin E and beta-carotene.

• Environmentally friendly: Organic farms enrich the soil, reduce pollution, and are better for the environment. Cows raised on pasture also have a lower carbon footprint than conventional feedlot cows.

• No added hormones or antibiotics: Organic standards prohibit the use of artificial growth hormones or routine antibiotics, resulting in cleaner meat.

• Higher animal welfare standards: Organic cattle must have access to the outdoors and pasture. They are raised in more natural, humane conditions than conventional factory farms.

• Supports small local farms: Buying directly from organic farms supports smaller family farms and rural communities.

Clearly, organic grass-fed beef is the better choice. But with so many brands of organic meat in stores these days, how do you pick the best source?

Buying Beef Directly from Organic Farms

For the highest quality organic meat, your best bet is to buy beef directly from the farm that raised the cattle. Here are some of the benefits of purchasing beef directly from the source:

• Fresher meat: When you buy direct from the farm, the beef is shipped straight to you, meaning it hasn’t sat in a warehouse or grocery store for weeks.

• Traceability: You know exactly which farm your meat came from, and can ask questions directly to the farmer if needed.

• Supports small farms: More of your dollar goes back to the farm that raised the cattle when you cut out retail markups by buying direct.

• Grass-fed flavor: Beef direct from grass-based farms is often more flavorful and nutritious than organic beef from large commercial suppliers.

• Sustainable packaging: Many smaller farms use eco-friendly insulation and recyclable shipping materials to reduce waste.

• Buy in bulk: You can often save money buying beef in bulk share packages direct from a farm.

We’ll highlight a few of the best organic farms to buy delicious grass-fed beef online later in this article. First, let’s go over what to look for when buying quality organic meat.

What to Look for When Buying Organic Beef

Not all organic beef is created equal. When shopping for the best organic meat, here are some important labels and certifications to look for:

100% Grass-Fed

“Grass-fed” means the cattle were raised on pasture and fed only grass after weaning. The gold standard is meat from cows that are “100% grass-fed and grass-finished,” meaning they lived on grass their entire lives after weaning with no grain finishing.

Meat from 100% grass-fed cows is more nutritious with a higher omega-3 content and deep, beefy flavor. Note that “grass-fed” on its own just means cows were grass-fed at some point, but may have been finished on grain. Always look for 100% grass-fed and grass-finished.

Organic Certification

Don’t just take “organic” labeling at face value. Look for the USDA Organic seal, which means the farm has been certified organic by a third-party agency in accordance with national organic standards. Reputable farms will often list their specific organic certifier.

Antibiotic and Hormone-Free

Organic standards prohibit antibiotic or hormone use, but double check that the farm confirms their cows are raised without either. Hormones and routine antibiotic use are more common in conventional cattle.

Pasture-Raised

“Pasture-raised” indicates the cattle were raised outdoors on pasture instead of confined in feedlots. This translates to a healthier, stress-free life for the cows.

Regenerative Agriculture

Farms practicing regenerative techniques like rotational grazing enrich soil health, sequester carbon, and create symbiotic relationships between crops, livestock, microbes and ecosystems. This holistic style of farming produces particularly nutritious beef.

When you find farms that tick all these boxes, you can be confident you are getting the highest quality, most eco-friendly beef. Now let’s look at some recommended sources for ordering organic, grass-fed beef online.

Best Places to Buy Organic Beef Online

Here are three of our favorite farms that sell delicious, certified organic, 100% grass-fed beef directly to consumers:

1. Organic Prairie

Organic Prairie is a farmer-owned cooperative representing over 100 organic family farms across the Midwest. They have been raising organic livestock for over 25 years.

We like Organic Prairie because of their strong commitment to both quality and sustainability. Their cattle are certified organic and 100% grass-fed on open pastures and rangeland. They pride themselves on humane animal handling practices.

Organic Prairie has a user-friendly website where you can order individual cuts of beef like steaks, roasts, and ground beef, or curated boxed bundles by protein type. The bundled boxes are a great way to try their meat at a discount.

Their most popular offering is the Family Farm Box, which contains an assortment of steaks, roasts, and ground beef at savings of 20% or more. Organic Prairie’s boxes ship for free, packed with dry ice in insulating, reusable packaging.

2. Alderspring Ranch

Alderspring Ranch is a small, family-owned organic farm located in Idaho. They have over 30 years of experience raising 100% grass-fed cattle on their pristine mountain pastures.

This ranch really sets the gold standard for regenerative, sustainable practices. Their pastures are Certified Organic, and Alderspring is also Certified Humane. They actively enrich their soil, capture carbon in the ground, and restore wildlife habitats.

You can order individual cuts or curated boxes on their online store. We recommend the Grassfed Beef Sampler, which allows you to try different steaks, roasts and ground beef at a discount. The beef comes frozen in recyclable insulation with dry ice.

Alderspring also sells 100% grass-fed bison, free-range chicken, lamb, and other sustainably raised meats. Their family puts so much care into their animals and land, which shows in the exceptional quality of their meats.

3. Primal Pastures

Primal Pastures is a California-based farm dedicated to regenerative agriculture. Since 2012, they have been raising pasture-raised, organic chickens, 100% grass-fed beef, and pastured pork.

Their chickens really set Primal Pastures apart, as they are raised completely outdoors on rotationally grazed pasture. The chickens supplement their organic feed with protein-rich bugs and grasses.

Primal Pastures cattle are grass-fed and finished, with no corn or soy. The farm uses holistic land management practices to enrich the soil, capture carbon, and reduce erosion.

Their online shop has individual cuts of beef and curated box options. We like the Mixed Box, which contains steaks, roasts, and ground beef, so you can sample different cuts. The beef is shipped frozen in recyclable packaging with dry ice.

Ordering Organic Beef Online

When you find a farm you want to order from, the process of buying organic beef online is quite simple:

• Browse available items on the farm’s online shop and select your desired cuts of meat and/or boxed packages.

• Choose your preferred shipping date. Most farms ship on set days each week.

• At checkout, calculate final shipping costs and input your shipping address. Farms ship frozen meat packed with dry ice.

• Select your payment method and complete checkout. You will receive tracking information via email.

• Your order will arrive on your doorstep 2-5 days after shipping, depending on location. Store beef in freezer until ready to use.

Be sure to check the farm’s shipping calendar before ordering, as inventory does sometimes sell out. It’s recommended to order 1-2 weeks in advance if possible.

That sums up our guide to finding the best places to buy organic, grass-fed beef online. We hope these tips will help you source deliciously nutritious, sustainable meat for your family. Choosing organic beef directly from farms that use ethical, regenerative practices makes for a world of difference, both in quality and impact. Happy grass-fed meat eating!