Coles Supermarket - Hormone Free Beef

So, Coles Supermarkets are offering hormone free beef. They have set up their own supply chain of farmers who they deal with directly.

Clearly healthy meat is a priority for consumers and whilst this meat is not cruelty free and therefore does not satisfy my main concern it does signal the desires of consumers for change.

"Since we started the campaign, we've seen double-digit growth in that category," said Jon Church, Coles spokesperson.

I have mixed feelings about this new campaign.

However I am pleased that Coles is taking a stance on this issue. A large company like Coles has the power to influence a lot of people and they have certainly increased awareness in a way that no one else can.

The beef industry is kicking up a fuss claiming that Coles are damaging their business by suggesting that there is something wrong with hormones.

It is true that much of the beef produced in Australia does not contain hormones but 40% of it does. The use of Hormone Growth Promotants (HGP) has been banned in Tasmania and the EU due from what I can gather, unsubstantiated concerns of links to disease.

The beef industry cannot sufficiently prove that the hormones are safe and consumers should have the right to choose. This has always been my ultimate goal. I hope that one day consumers can choose not to buy the cheapest meat that is farmed in the cheapest possible way and they can opt to buy moderately priced meat and know everything about what it contains and went through before arriving on their plate.

This is a very small step towards a healthier and more humane choice but Coles is also stepping up their range of free range meat and organic meat and banning cage eggs for their in-house egg range.

Many people have declared that they don't trust Coles and that they are just money hungry. I couldn't care less whether Coles is doing this out of the goodness of their heart, for increased profit or both. I am buoyed by the fact that consumers want happier, healthier meat and even the large chains are beginning to take notice and offer it. The vast majority of the food Australians eat comes from Coles and Safeway, if they are open to change then there is a greater chance that it will happen and have maximum effect. This is only likely to happen if the supermarkets can make money out of it.

Wealthy people buying expensive organic meat is never going to achieve maximum impact.

Coles general manager of meat, Allister Watson has stated,

“Coles is aware of widespread consumer concerns about additives in food and livestock and animal welfare practices.

I do hope that consumer support for these initiatives will encourage Coles to continue along this track. I will be watching very carefully to see if this is the case. In the meantime I choose to support their organic and free range lines in between my orders from my farm direct suppliers.

For a more comprehensive opinion on this issue have a read of this great blog

http://thefoodsage.com.au/2011/01/31/hormone-free-beef-whats-the-catch/

Free range and organic at the supermarket

I know it's been way too long since I have posted. Life, primarily work has just been getting in the way lately. I haven't stopped thinking about my quest and I still have lots of research to do.

I have been happily eating meat from my suppliers feeling like I have achieved my initial objective of sourcing affordable essentially organic and humanely raised meat. However I have only sourced beef and lamb. For my chicken and pork I have done the next best thing in my opinion which is buy free range and/or organic from the supermarket. Ultimately I hope that CICO meat will be readily available and affordable in convenient locations such as the supermarket. I have noticed lately a lot more choice and a generally cheaper price in free range and organic meat at Coles and Safeway. So hopefully the change is coming.

I am not convinced that these producers are all that they seem as they are obviously producing on a large scale. However I feel that it is better to support farmers that are producing meat that is free to roam at least some of the time and who don't use pesticides etc because it sends a message to the supermarket that this is important.

I have purchased pork from Otway Pork. Their website is very convincing and the meat is really lovely. I paid between $14-$24 per kilo, which for free range pork is very reasonable. It is more expensive than all the CICO beef but raising pigs is much more expensive than beef as they need shelter and I believe more bought food rather than pasture. I hope to visit them personally in the future to see for myself and give you an objective opinion.

Lilydale Chicken is the supplier whose chicken I have been buying and much like Otway Pork have a slick yet realistic looking website and I hope that they are genuine. When I have time to venture to these areas I will contact both Lilydale Chicken and Otway Pork for a site visit.

I haven't found any chicken or pork suppliers that can sell in bulk like my beef suppliers making the cost even lower. So unfortunately for now I have to pay considerably higher prices for chicken and pork but at least I feel that they have had some quality of life before arriving on my plate.

Incidentally, friends have been concerned that when they invite me to their house for dinner that I would be horrified if they don't serve me free range or organic. I want to make it clear that we all have to do what we can do and I don't judge people that buy any old meat. The whole point of my crusade is to make it easier for everyone to make ethical and healthy choices not berate people when they can't afford it or don't have time. People are not choosing to eat cruelty raised, unheathy meat because they prefer it, they do it because they don't have the information and choice needed to be able to choose better alternatives. I even, shock horror, buy bacon occasionally that is definitely not raised humanely but I don't beat myself up about it because I am actively doing what I can to help the situation and there is no point on dwelling on the times that I failed to meet my objectives.

So for now I definitely haven't forgotten and I absolutely have not given up. I am just giving the blog a rest whilst I work to earn money and prepare to have a baby in December.

In the meantime I am still doing the following:

• Reducing meat portion sizes
• Eating vegetarian meals from time to time
• Ordering beef and lamb through the farmers I have already vetted. You can see them here.
• Buying predominantly free range but also organic when I see it at a reasonable price or on special at the supermarket to send a clear message to the supermarkets that this is important
• Eating nose to tail. Read more here.
• Always buying free range eggs. I would rather eat less eggs than support cage eggs

These are really simple steps that you can take to ease your conscience and vote with your consumer choice for a better future.