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No
Antibiotics Ever - No water Added
News
Flash!
Maverick Ranch becomes the Official Supplier of
Natural Pork to the U.S. Olympic Training Centers.
 The
natural line of lean meat products from Maverick Ranch expands
to pork in 2002, starting with the Salt Lake games in February
and Olympic Training Centers in March.
Average
attendance at the three Olympic Training Centers is 1,100
athletes per day. Over 20,000 athletes receive training,
evaluation, medical and dental care at the training centers
each year. America's entire Olympic program is funded by
donations from individuals, along with corporate sponsors
and suppliers. The Moore family is proud to provide natural
pork as well as natural beef and buffalo to all three Training
Centers.
At
Maverick, we are very excited about adding pork to our natural
line of lean meat products. For years, nearly everyone in agriculture
felt it was impossible to raise hogs without antibiotics
in the feed. Over the last twenty years, 90% of the hog
production and finishing in the U.S. has moved into "confinement
barns". In these barns (mostly controlled by less than
20 corporate producers), there is only 6-7 square feet per
hog. Waste manure is pumped into lagoons where the liquids
evaporate and the solids settle into the ground, thereby
often contaminating ground water. Additionally, hogs have
been bred leaner and leaner to satisfy consumers' requests
for lean products and the large packers' conquest for higher
profit. However, the result is that most commodity pork
has lost its flavor and tenderness. The end result is that
nearly 80% of the fresh pork consumed in America is "pumped
with water and various sodium products". This results
in pork that is 7% to 30% 'water added' with the purpose
of enhancing tenderness and juiciness (to try and get pork
to eat the way it used to).
However,
at Maverick we have some concerns about pumped or "injected"
pork (large manufacturers call it "enhanced").
These are the reasons for our concerns:
-
Injectors have needles placed about 1 inch apart. This allows
the possibility that surface bacteria are pushed and injected
into the pig.
-
Most pork plants are in the Midwest. Over 80% of Midwestern
ground water contains pesticides. This poses a good question.
Are low level pesticides being injected into the pork? This
question was pointed out to Roy Moore at Maverick by a major
retailer who also serves on the National Pork Board.
-
Do we need added Sodium Phosphate in our diet? Health experts
don't think we need any more sodium.
-
Nearly all ham products contain Nitrates which are preservatives
that turn ham to its pink color. In the 1950's, the FDA almost
banned Nitrates as they are very strong carcinogens (cancer
causing agents). However Nitrates also control botulism which
was considered a greater short term threat. Botulism is food
poisoning that can cause food spoilage and death in a short
period of time. As a result, the FDA still allows Nitrates.
Today,
Maverick has researched the pork industry. We see a lot of things
that changed over the last fifty years and we feel that a good
tasting product and long term health may have been sacrificed.
We're sure that the hogs feel their quality of life has changed.
A hog's natural instinct is to "root" in the soil
and make a comfortable spot to lie in. Also, little pigs used
to be eight weeks old when they were weaned and now they are
taken away from their mothers when they are maybe 10-14 days
old.
After
analyzing the situation, we at Maverick decided to find small
family farms that could raise hogs like they did fifty years
ago, without antibiotics and waste lagoons. Our goal is to help
sustain family farms and ranches. This is the principal that
Maverick was founded on in 1986 (Maverick was started by the
four Moore boys and Mom & Dad when they were in 4-H).
Our
year long quest has led us to join forces with four groups of
small farmers who agreed with us and who still produced pork
the way nature intended.
Maverick
Ranch natural pork is produced under the following guidelines.
This system was originally developed by Lucien Breton and his
family so we call it the Breton Small Farm System.
Following
are the ten key points.
-
No Antibiotics, ever.
-
Humanely raised according to American Humane Association standards.
-
No animal by-products used in the feed; 100% vegetarian fed.
-
No Organo phosphate or Organo chlorine pesticides used.
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Produced without waste lagoons.
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No growth promotants are permitted (by federal regulations).
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Environmentally responsible.
-
12" of bedding is used during all phases of production.
The bedding and animal waste combines to provide garden humus
and is marketed as an odor free natural humus used to restore
garden soils and as a natural fertilizer for farming.
-
Natural "rooting" habits of hogs are allowed to
be expressed.
-
The American Humane Association monitors the entire process.
Notice
that a key point of this system is that members, farms and processing
facilities are monitored by the American Human Association (which
in turn is monitored by USDA Ag Marketing Service).
Monitored
by the American Humane Association
The
standards of practice for the Breton family system of natural
pork production are those set by The American Humane Association.
The American Humane Association is the oldest and most prestigious
National Humane Association in the United States, founded in
1877. Also, the American Humane Association is the only non-profit
organization dedicated to protecting both our children and animals
from abuse.
FOLLOWING
ARE THE FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES OF THE
AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION MONITORING PROGRAM
-
Farm
verified using American Humane Association developed standards,
by participating veterinarians and animal scientists who are
members.
-
The
USDA agricultural marketing service verifies the inspection
process to assure fairness in the free-farmed program.
-
The
free-farmed program puts the well being of animals first.
PUTTING
THE FREE IN FREE FARMED
-
Free
from unnecessary fear and distress, by ensuring conditions
and care that limit stress
-
Free
from unnecessary pain, injury, and disease, by prevention
of disease through rapid diagnoses and treatment
-
Free
from hunger and thirst, by ready access to fresh water and
a diet that maintains full health and vigor
-
Free
from unnecessary discomfort, by providing an appropriate environment
including shelter and a comfortable resting area, by enabling
the expression of normal behaviors, and by providing sufficient
space, proper facilities, and company of the animals' own
kind
SAY
YES TO FREE FARMED FARM ANIMAL WELFARE &
MAVERICK RANCH NATURAL PORK.
Do
You Like What We Are Doing?
If so,
please contact your favorite meat department and ask them to
give Roy or Charlie Moore a call at 1-800-497-2624.
Call
or e-mail Maverick Ranch to find the store nearest to you carrying
our natural meats!
We have
90% of the TRUE NATURAL PORK PRODUCERS in the U.S. and Canada
joining us. We need your support to help bring True Natural
Pork (NO ANTIBIOTICS - EVER) to the marketplace.
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