Do you know what you are eating? Think back to what you had for breakfast this morning or dinner last night. Do you know where your food came from? One of the main reasons the Wisconsin Grass-fed Beef Cooperative was started was to provide a natural beef product for people who are looking for a pure and clean product from local farms they know and trust. And when we say “pure and clean” product, we mean no genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. But before we get into what you are eating, let’s look at what a GMO really is.

A genetically modified organism is a plant, animal, or microorganism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. It used laboratory techniques to create combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and/or virus genes that do not naturally occur, and more importantly could never occur without the use of those lab techniques. As an example, the Monsanto corporation inserted genes that confer resistance to their herbicide RoundUp (glyphosate) and their insecticide derived from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis into corn, making it possible for farmers who purchase both the seed and chemicals from Monsanto to spray their growing corn plants with herbicides and insecticides without harming the corn plants. These crops are then mainly used to feed livestock but also to make ingredients such as cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil or granulated sugar.[1]   

Some types of genetic engineering – the process to make GMOs – can have direct benefits to human health. For example, insulin used to treat diabetes is manufactured in labs by yeast and bacterial cells into which the human gene for insulin has been inserted. Other GMOs are limited to crops that are not meant for human consumption, like cotton. The question is whether it is appropriate for GMOs to be consumed in the form of food?

GMOs can have a harmful effect on the human body. According to a scientific review of the safety, risks, and public concerns of GM foods, the authors conclude that the “biggest threat caused by GM foods is that they can have harmful effects on the human body… [by causing] the development of diseases which are immune to antibiotics.” There is not much known about the long-term effects on humans who consume GMOs. Therefore, many people prefer to stay away from these types of foods and choose to consume natural ingredients.[2]

Our 100% grassfed beef and pastured pork products come from livestock raised on family farms all across Wisconsin that are humanely treated, naturally-raised. Our products – anything bearing the Wisconsin Meadows label – not only contain no GMOs, but are also made without the use of GMOs. Our producers are required to follow strict protocols which ban GM feed and pasturing animals on fields that contain GM crops such as corn or soybeans. Therefore, you can enjoy eating Wisconsin Meadows products everyday knowing they are a clean, pure, healthy source of protein free from GMOs. Know that when you choose Wisconsin Meadows products, you are getting a natural product that was grazed on green grass, surrounded by blue skies and the crystal-clear waters of Wisconsin. As the old saying goes, “You are what you eat!”  

By: Josh Miner, Wisconsin Grass-fed Beef Cooperative

[1] https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3791249/