Buying guides
What the labels mean, how to buy a share of a steer, and how the delivery companies compare. Every claim links to its source.
Buying guides
- Grass-fed certifications compared: AGA, AGW, OPT and USDA Organic
How AGA, Certified Grassfed by AGW, Animal Welfare Approved, OPT and USDA Organic differ on grain, pasture, drugs, audits and species.
- Grass-fed vs grass-finished: what the label really means
What grass-fed and grass-finished mean on US meat labels, how the USDA rules changed since 2016, and which certifications back up the claim.
- How to buy a quarter cow: cost, cut sheet and freezer space
What a quarter, half or whole beef share costs, how hanging weight becomes take-home meat, how to fill in a cut sheet and how much freezer you need.
- How to vet a local grass-fed farm: 12 questions to ask
Twelve questions to ask a farm before you buy grass-fed beef, lamb or dairy, why each one matters, and what a good answer sounds like.