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Pasture Posts #244

Here’s the weekly roundup from Watson Farms and your direct connection to your farmer. Enjoy the latest edition of Pasture Posts!

Circumventing the Beef Import Debate

Your Partnership Makes All the Difference

Hey Farm Family,

I wanted to talk straight about something that’s been in the news lately: the discussion around importing beef from places like Argentina. It stirs up a lot of worry and confusion, and honestly, it shines a light on how broken the conventional food system is.

But here’s the thing I want you to remember: because of your choice to partner with us, you don’t have to worry about it.

When you choose Watson Farms, you are connecting directly with the farmer who raises your food. You see the paddocks, you see the commitment over decades to 100% grass-fed and grass-finished practices, and you know our cattle are moved daily to heal the soil right here in Chester, SC. That level of connection and transparency makes all the noise about where the corporate meat packers source their beef completely moot.

The importance of this local partnership simply can’t be overstated. It’s the difference between a slick label produced by a corporate marketing team and the peace of mind that comes from shaking the hand of the farmer who raised the food you feed your family. That’s true integrity.

The Truth About “Grass-Fed” on Store Shelves

Why does this matter so much? Because the beef industry has figured out how to use the “grass-fed” label to import cheap product while often misleading the consumer.

Here’s a statistic that might shock you and underlines why your local connection is so vital: Upwards of 80% of labeled grass-fed beef currently sold in the U.S. is imported, largely from countries in South America (including Argentina) and Australia.

These imports are allowed to be labeled “Product of the USA” simply because they pass through a USDA-inspected facility in the U.S. They didn’t start here, they weren’t raised here, and they probably weren’t raised with the regenerative standards we follow. This is one reason why you hear so much controversy when beef import quotas are changed or debated—it’s because the mass market is dependent on that foreign supply to meet the demand for “grass-fed” products.

When you buy your beef from us, you skip that entire maze of misleading labels, international logistics, and corporate trickery. You get U.S. beef, regeneratively raised by our family, guaranteed.

The Case for Mandatory COOL

To fix this industry-wide problem and give every consumer the simple truth they deserve, we need Congress to re-institute Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL).

If COOL were mandatory, shoppers wouldn’t need to be expert label readers. Every package of meat in every grocery store would clearly state whether the beef was U.S. Beef, Argentinian Beef, Brazilian Beef, or any other origin. It would cut through the confusion instantly and empower the consumer to vote with their dollar.

Your choice to support a farm like ours is the most powerful vote you can cast for truth, transparency, and a vibrant local food system. Thank you for making that choice every week.

Sincerely,

Matt Watson and the whole crew at Watson Farms

Stock Up on Beef You Can Trust

Our Bulk Bundles are always a great deal, and there’s nothing like having months worth of beef in your freezer!

Check out this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review from Mollie:

“I have been very displeased with the meat I’ve been buying from the store. We decided to get some beef bulk since we have the deep freezer for it, and man was that the best decision we ever made! It is hands down some of the best beef I’ve had. I got a whole chicken with my order to try their chicken too and just put our bulk order in for their chicken too. We are 100% forever customers. Can’t recommend enough.”

We would greatly appreciate it if you would be kind enough to leave us a review.  It helps first-time customers purchase with confidence.

Check out our Reviews Page!

Shipping Timeline and Store Hours

UPS Orders (all orders ship with insulation and dry ice):

UPS orders normally ship out on Mondays – Wednesdays.

We will try to ship your order on the next shipping day as soon as we have it assembled.

You should receive a text message and email with a tracking link when your order ships.

Farm Pickup (Always Free!): Please wait until you receive an email stating that your order is ready to be picked up (usually 1 business day from when you place your order). Farm pickup is done during store hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 10am to 2pm
Closed Sunday and Wednesday

Tell a Friend!

It’s now easier than ever to Give $15 and Get $15 through our Referral Program. We don’t spend a lot of money of advertising, but rather we focus on producing products that people love and are willing to tell others about. So we depend on word of mouth to find new customers and ultimately to heal more land.

So in an effort to streamline this process we have made it easier to tell others (via email, Facebook, or Twitter) about Watson Farms. And it’s all automated on the backend, so you don’t have to rely on us to issue the store credits manually. Just head over to our Referrals Page and start sharing!

Start Sharing!

Thanks again for being partners in this endeavor of local, pasture-raised proteins that has truly transformed our farm.  We look forward to continuing this transition while serving you long into the future.

Sincerely,
The Watsons

Pasture Posts is written and/or edited by Matt Watson.