Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished: Freedom Valley Farm Explains the Label Gap

Freedom Valley Farm, a family farm in White Hall, Maryland, has published a guide to the difference between grass-fed and grass-finished beef. It explains why no federal standard defines either label and which questions shoppers can ask before they buy.

White Hall, United States, November 13, 2026 /NewsNetwork/ -- Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished Beef: Freedom Valley Farm Explains the Label Gap

Article summary (40 words): Freedom Valley Farm, a family farm in White Hall, Maryland, has published a guide to the difference between grass-fed and grass-finished beef. It explains why no federal standard defines either label and which questions shoppers can ask before they buy.

WHITE HALL, Md. — Many shoppers read "grass-fed" and "grass-finished" on a beef label as the same promise. Freedom Valley Farm, a family farm in White Hall, Maryland, has published a guide explaining why the two claims differ and what buyers can ask before they buy.

The difference comes down to the last few months of an animal's life. Most beef cattle in the United States start out grazing on pasture. Many are later moved to a feedlot and fed grain before processing. Beef from those animals can still carry a "grass-fed" label, because the phrase describes part of the diet rather than all of it. "Grass-finished" means the animal stayed on grass, or stored forage such as hay, through that final stretch as well.

No single federal definition settles the question for shoppers. In January 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service withdrew its voluntary grass-fed marketing claim standard. Its Federal Register notice said the agency did not have the authority to define and verify the claim. The Food Safety and Inspection Service still requires label claims to be truthful and not misleading, but it reviews them label by label instead of enforcing one national definition.

"'Grass-fed' on its own doesn't tell you what the animal ate at the end," said Ryan Hamby of Freedom Valley Farm. "A farm should be upfront about that gap instead of letting a label do the talking. Ask us what the cattle ate, and we'll tell you."

The guide also explains how extension programs define finishing and what a 2010 review in Nutrition Journal found when it compared grass-fed and grain-fed beef. It is candid about certification, too. Freedom Valley Farm has no grass-fed or organic seal, and the guide says so. It is posted at https://freedomvalleyfarmmd.com/grass-fed-vs-grass-finished/

The farm's advice for shoppers is short. Check whether the label stops at "grass-fed." Ask where the animal was finished. If a farm has no certification, ask why, and notice whether anyone answers. Then compare what the website says with what is printed on the package.

Freedom Valley Farm raises pastured pork and chicken on its Maryland farm. Its beef is 100% grass-fed and grass-finished and comes from partner farms in Pennsylvania. Finishing cattle on grass, with no grain at any stage, is a requirement for every partner farm the business works with. Details on the farm's beef are at https://freedomvalleyfarmmd.com/100-grass-fed-beef/

The farm plans to keep publishing plain-language guides on how its meat is raised and prepared, including upcoming pieces on cooking grass-fed beef and stocking a home freezer.

About Freedom Valley Farm: Freedom Valley Farm is a family farm in White Hall, Maryland, that raises pastured pork and chicken and offers 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef from Pennsylvania partner farms. The farm sells directly to customers, including bulk beef orders. Learn more at https://freedomvalleyfarmmd.com/about-us/

Contact Info:
Name: Freedom Valley Farm
Email: Send Email
Organization: Freedom Valley Farm
Address: 2523 Bradenbaugh Road, White Hall, Maryland 21161, United States
Phone: +1-443-752-4338
Website: https://freedomvalleyfarmmd.com/

Source: NewsNetwork

Release ID: 89209597

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