Good For Your Heart, Your Soul And The Planet • By Madelaine B. Landry
PHOTOS BY – Ene Niles
In the 1970s, the average American consumed 20 percent more meat than the prescribed dietary guidelines recommended. By 2022, this increased to 40 percent more. A 2020 study cited by thecommons.org shows that the average adult in the U.S. now consumes 82 pounds of commodity beef annually.
This consumption may have positive effects on the economy, but it can have negative effects on personal health, as well as raise environmental concerns like climate pollution. Concerns like these have caused beef eaters to search for more sustainable alternatives in recent years.
LaMotte Hook Ranch is a rice and crawfish farm with 300 acres of regenerative beef pastures in Welsh. They’re on a mission to educate local beef consumers while bringing true grass-fed beef to Louisiana.
Founded in 1976 by Richard and Nancy LaMotte, the focus of the operation is to sustainably produce nutrient-rich whole foods.
“When carbon is drawn from the atmosphere and stored in the soil where it belongs, that’s one way to restore the broken cycles of nature,” says LaMotte Ranch spokesperson Kelsey Richard. “We view these cycles of nature as critical when producing food, but unfortunately they’ve been disrupted by 80-plus years of intensive commodity agriculture.”
Beef remains one of the best-selling meats in America, second only to chicken, with 2020 sales that grew to an estimated $30.3 billion. Some medical experts say that Americans should strive to eat less red meat, but for Americans who crave the taste of real beef, grass-fed beef could provide a healthier alternative.
The term “grass-fed” itself has become trendy in recent years; there is as much misinformation available as there are legitimate claims and studies to consider. Is it healthier? Is it inflammatory? What should I look for when purchasing it? Can you taste the difference between grain-fed and grass-fed beef? Are the environmental concerns legitimate?
Richard recently addressed some of these concerns for those who have considered switching to grass-fed beef. As the name implies, grass-fed beef comes from cows whose primary diet is grass and other greens.
“This is what consumers are led to believe in the store,” says Richard. “But the term ‘grass-fed’ has been severely watered down after a 2016 ruling by the USDA that requires producers to govern their own grass-fed standards. It is important for consumers to be aware of this and understand what they are getting.
For those who aren’t aware of what a feedlot is, it is a large centralized confinement feed yard where cattle are living in pens with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of other cows with no access to fresh pasture. This environment is one of the main reasons these cattle need injections.”
Feedlots provide an unhealthy environment that does not occur in regenerative agriculture, because cattle are rotated frequently to new pastures, according to Richard.
“This rotation allows the pasture grasses to regrow. If pastures are not allowed to recover, the cows will consume the most desirable grasses to the point that the grass dies off. Then we are left with undesirable grasses that cattle do not eat. No grass equals no grass-fed beef.”
LaMotte Hook Ranch does not use any hormones or antibiotics. They produce beef in a way that avoids pushing their cattle past their genetic limitations. “We believe in working with nature to produce the highest quality cuts of organic natural beef. We do not use antibiotics because our cattle are raised in a more natural environment unlike those confined and placed into large industrial commodity feedlots.”
The Mayo Clinic’s website maintains that grass-fed meat can be a superior source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids when compared to grain-fed. Those fatty acids support cognitive function and combat inflammation. Furthermore, they cite higher amounts of omega-6 fatty acids (linolenic acid), and more antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin E. It’s true that all beef contains saturated fat, which has been linked to unhealthy cholesterol levels.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat by opting for leaner beef cuts, which contains 10 percent or less saturated fats. And while controversy in the medical field is nothing new, as Richard explains, some of the claims regarding cholesterol are being debunked as new studies emerge.
Kelsey Richard
Still, Richard notes, we only have to look at how American eating habits have changed since the 1940s to see some of the detrimental effects modern farming and ranching practices have brought about. “Prior to that decade, Americans ate homegrown food year-round — fresh vegetables, fruits and meat. The instances of chronic illness skyrocketed in the years following World War II, however, with the advent of chemical farming and processed foods. Americans went from consuming organic, chemical-free, seasonal produce, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, and 0-percent processed foods, to a diet that consists of mostly processed foods. The adage remains true: You are what you eat.”
Many consumers of grass-fed beef emphasize that if you are worried about taste, you just need to try it — grass-fed, they assert, just tastes “beefier.” LaMotte Ranch says their cattle enjoy a stress-free life, and they are frequently rotated to fresh grasses. This is what you picture when you see cattle grazing in tall grass pastures. Contented cows — that really can affect taste.
“We are reversing destruction of soil caused by modern industrial agriculture. Regenerative agriculture aims
to restore vitality in soil carbon and microbial diversity. This improves nutrient cycling and water infiltration.
It also mitigates the effects of climate change and ultimately strengthens the vitality of agricultural soils.
This is important because soil systems that do not cycle nutrients will not be economical.”
“These climate scientists attribute the production of monocrops mainly to cattle but fail to acknowledge the amount of corn that is grown for producing ethanol for gasoline. They also fail to acknowledge the benefits and possibilities with regenerative agriculture. This is an ancient farming methodology that incorporates livestock to increase diversity of income on the farm and to aid in fertility programs. This is a closed-loop system, unlike the current commodity crop system that requires ever increasing amounts of inputs that ultimately end up in our streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. This influx of nutrient runoff from our farmlands to our waterways causes eutrophication/hypoxia in our waters and is the cause for algal blooms and fish die-off.”
Another important but often overlooked benefit is the support of local, sustainable agriculture, one way every consumer can make a difference in their communities.
“When consumers purchase beef from out of state businesses like Butcher Box, they’re sending part of their paycheck to places like Boston,” says Richard. “These are not locally-sourced products, so there is no cycling of money through our local businesses. When you shop with a local producer, the money is cycled through local businesses. Therefore, purchasing local food is important. Ranches like ours work with nature to produce beef, fruits, vegetables and fibers.”
LaMotte Ranch is proud of their regenerative agricultural methods. Richard says their methods demonstrate a much more natural approach.
“We are reversing destruction of soil caused by modern industrial agriculture. Regenerative agriculture aims to restore vitality in soil carbon and microbial diversity. This improves nutrient cycling and water infiltration. It also mitigates the effects of climate change and ultimately strengthens the vitality of agricultural soils. This is important because soil systems that do not cycle nutrients will not be economical.”
For these people, regenerative ranches like LHR offer practical solutions to each of these problems. “Our cattle are treated with respect because this type of treatment produces the best possible product,” maintains Richard. “Our style of ranching solves the environmental problem because it eliminates the need for larger amounts of mono-cropped GMO corn in the Midwest, while allowing our cattle to live in a natural environment.”
Moderation is still the best advice for healthier diets and lifestyles, which is what the LaMotte Hook ranch also recommends: “Transform your life with lifelong habits of mindful eating. By incorporating LHR meats into your diet and lifestyle, you’re setting yourself and your family up for long-term health and happiness. Enjoy the benefits of mindful eating and experience a higher quality of life for yourself and your loved ones.”
Most beef eaters will not be giving up their meat-based diets anytime soon. But shopping for local beef from ranches like LHR is one way to preserve traditional farming practices, which is beneficial today, as well as for generations in the future. The company’s website says: “It is a form of empowerment to know you are setting a good nutritious and environmental example for your children and loved ones. LHR Meats is a local source that prioritizes sustainability, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship.”
To view the Red Angus Cross cows available for sale at LaMotte Hook Ranch, and to obtain more information, visit lhrmeats.com.
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