At Modmarket we’re proud to offer food that has nothing to hide. We call it REAL FOOD. Fresh produce that’s cut daily in house, breads and dough with no artificial preservatives or sweeteners, and meats that are sustainably and responsibly raised. We actually put a lot of time and energy into sourcing sustainable items, and we are really proud of our Never Never beef. So what is Never Never beef? While the name might remind you of Peter Pan, we assure you it has nothing to do with that!
Never Never beef comes from cattle that have never been given antibiotics or steroids. Since 1956, the US cattle industry has been using 6 different FDA approved hormonal growth promotants, three naturally occurring steroids and three synthetically produced hormones. The use of these hormones allow cattle owners to boost profitability and production levels by increasing the growth rate and weight of calves in order to quickly get them to a selling size, as well as reducing intramuscular fat. More than two thirds on the cattle sent to feed lots in North America are estimated to have received some combination of these hormones. Many of these same cattle are routinely dosed with antibiotics, in order to prevent mastitis and other bovine diseases. Though most are not sick, when one sick animal is found it is typically easier to dose the whole herd through their food and water, rather than diagnose and treat each cow on an individual basis.
What all this means is that most of the beef consumed in the US still contains at least trace amounts of these hormones and antibiotics when it reaches the consumer. While the cattle industry and the FDA maintain that the amount is well below dangerous levels, studies continue to come out that seem to indicate health risks from an increased risk of cancer to decreased fertility. The use of antibiotics in healthy animals also contributes to the growth of disease resistant bacteria. Antibiotics kill most bacteria, but can leave resistant individual strains free to reproduce without competition from other bacteria. There also isn’t any conclusive data on the long term health risks of ingesting these substances. In fact, the use of these hormones is illegal in the EU, and there’s a ban on importing beef that’s been given hormones.
No wonder we’re excited about Gold Canyon’s Never Never beef! In stark contrast to “normal” practice, Never Never beef is NEVER given antibiotics, and NEVER given hormones. This isn’t inhumane to sick animals; they’re simply moved out of the herd if they require antibiotics or other medication for disease. Their cows are also raised completely on a grass and grain diet, right here in Colorado. This is also different than “Natural” beef. To be labeled “natural,” the USDA simply requires that the produce must be minimally processed, and it cannot contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. There’s no third party verification to be labeled natural, so it’s up to each brand what they feed and whether they use antibiotics or hormones. Some brands claim to be “natural,” but only cease using hormones 100 days before harvest. That’s not the case with our Never Never steak. Though not all the evidence is in yet, we can be sure that at Modmarket you’re getting nothing but truly natural beef…and I think even Peter Pan would appreciate that.