Is Your Pork Lying to You? Understanding Labels & What They Hide
Big Ag loves to dress up factory-farmed meat with fancy labels to make you feel better about what you’re buying. But what do these labels actually mean? Let’s break it down—because you deserve to know the truth.
Origin-Based Claims: Where Did Your Pork Really Come From?
👉 “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” – Sounds patriotic, right? March of 2024, the USDA finally issued a ruling that this label can only be used on products actually born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States. But here's the catch: 1.) Producers have until January 1, 2026 to actually make this change. 2.) This is a voluntary label.
👉 Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) – Used to be mandatory for pork, but Big Ag lobbied to get it repealed in 2016. Now, some brands voluntarily tell you where the meat came from. Most don’t.
Animal-Raising Claims: What Do They Really Mean?
👉 “No Added Hormones” – This one’s pure marketing BS. It’s illegal to give pigs hormones in the first place, so this label is meaningless and distracting (and required to have a disclaimer saying so).
👉 “Antibiotic-Free” or “Raised Without Antibiotics” – Sounds great, but did you know Big Ag found a loophole? Instead of antibiotics, they use other synthetic inputs and vaccines to speed up growth and prevent disease in overcrowded barns.
👉 “Humanely Raised” or “Animal Welfare Approved” – This label can mean something if it’s backed by a legitimate real third-party certification. But without researching and knowing the certifier, it’s just another feel-good marketing tactic.
Production Method Claims: Is It Really Better?
👉 “Organic” – USDA Organic pork has some better standards (like no GMOs or certain synthetic inputs), but Organic IS NOT the same as pasture raised. Organic hogs are still raised in factory farms.
👉 “Non-GMO” – This only applies to feed, not the animal itself. And unless it’s pasture-raised, a pig is still in confinement.
Processing Claims: The Fine Print Matters
👉 “Natural” – This doesn’t mean pasture-raised. It just means no artificial ingredients or colors were added. What's considered artificial is the bigger question. The USDA says anything that can be derived from a natural source is ok... i.e. Antibiotics, corn syrup, lecithin, and "minimally processed ingredients". 🤔
👉 “Processed in the U.S.” – If you see this, it means the pork came from overseas but was butchered here.
So How Do You See Through the BS?
It's so simple, that it seems unreal. KNOW YOUR FARMER. It's easier to buy meat directly from a farmer now than it ever has been... well, since we had a farmer on every country block 100 years go.
I truly hope this email helps you make better decisions for your family. All those fake label claims are hiding a food system that is creating obesity, chronic disease, cancer, and metabolic disfunction in your body.
You deserve real, honest food, and that starts with knowing the truth.