Recently the value of organic meat has shot up. In every supermarket, you can find meat claiming to be organic, and therefore better quality. But is this true? The debate about the worth of organic meat over non-organic meat has been ongoing. Organic meat may be more expensive than regular meat, but many people claim that it is worth the money. Still, some find it hard to overlook the fact that organic beef can often be double the price of non-organic beef. So what are the benefits of buying organic instead of non-organic meat?
In most cases, organically raised meat is treated more humanely than non-organically raised meat. Factory farms sacrifice the welfare of their animals in order to make an easy profit. This results in highly unethical situations for the livestock. The cheapest meat is raised in this way and continues to be popular because of its affordability. People who object to this style of farming choose organic meat because they are more certain of good ethical standards. Organically raised livestock are often free-range, which means that they can roam around in open areas. Not only is it ethical but promotes good health for livestock. Their conditions are often much more sanitary because they are not cramped in small spaces. This means that there is a lower risk of diseases and bad bacteria being carried by the meat. This form of meat production also tends to be environmentally friendly and sustainable. Organically raised and free-range meat is raised in open areas in small numbers. This means that less waste manure is produced. In non-organic farms, the huge number of livestock living in a small area can create a huge amount of pollutant and toxic waste, with a higher risk of diseases being spread. With organic meat, there is only a small amount of waste being produced which can then be reused as fertiliser. Because of the healthy diet organically raised livestock are fed, there is a lower risk of this waste carrying diseases. Fewer hormones, chemicals, and fuels are used in the whole process of raising the animals and creating the final meat product. In most non-organic farming there is an abundant use of growth hormones. These are to promote the growth of the animal so that there is more meat, as well as to increase the production of milk. Some consider this unethical and unnatural. In particular, there is an issue with the fact that these hormones can make its way into your food. Trace amounts of the hormones used can often be found in meat and milk products. Your body is not meant to ingest these extra hormones, and it can cause a range of health problems. Most commonly it will cause poor skin health and excess hair growth. But for pregnant or nursing women, as well as young children, these hormones carry more health risks. Organically raised meat is nearly always free from hormones. They are not given any kind of growth stimulant or anti-biotics that could contaminate the final food products. Instead, farmers use a nutritious and varied diet to promote the growth and health of their livestock.