What Every Claim on Pre® Grass-fed Beef Actually Means

Every claim on a Pre package is there for a reason. Here's a plain-language breakdown of what each one means and why the precision matters.

The Problem with Beef Labels

The beef label is one of the most contested pieces of real estate in the grocery store. Terms like "natural," "grass-fed," "hormone-free," and "humanely raised" get applied loosely, regulated inconsistently, and interpreted in ways that don't always match what's actually happening on the farm.

Pre's packaging uses specific language. Here's what each claim means, where it comes from, and why it matters.

"100% Grass-Fed and Finished"

This is the most important distinction on our label, and it's the one most often softened by competitors. "Grass-fed" alone doesn't mean much. In the United States, beef can be labeled grass-fed if the animal ate grass at some point, even if it was grain-finished for the last several months of its life to add weight before slaughter.

"100% Grass-Fed and Finished" means the animal ate nothing but grass and forage for its entire life, from birth to harvest. No grain finishing period. This affects the fat composition, the omega-3 profile, and the CLA content of the beef you're eating.

"No Added Hormones"

This claim means no synthetic growth hormones were administered to the animal. It does not mean hormone-free, because animals produce hormones naturally. It means no one added anything artificial to speed up growth or increase yield.

It's worth noting that the USDA already prohibits the use of hormones in pork and poultry, so this claim is specific and meaningful only when applied to beef.

"Humanely Raised"

This is one of the claims that requires the most context. Pre's sourcing standard requires that animals are raised with access to open pasture, that they are not subjected to unnecessary stress or confinement, and that handling practices at every point in the supply chain meet defined welfare criteria.

This is one of the 15 Points of Curation that Pre uses to evaluate and select the farms and ranches it sources from. It is not a self-certification.

What "Pre Certified" Means

Pre does not rely on broad third-party certifications alone. The 15 Points of Curation is a sourcing framework developed specifically for Pre that goes beyond what most certifications require. It includes standards for marbling score, meat color, fat color, animal age, and traceability, among others. Every animal that becomes a Pre product has been evaluated against this framework.

The Language We Intentionally Don't Use

"Natural" means almost nothing on a beef label. The USDA's definition of natural for meat simply means "minimally processed and no artificial ingredients," which applies to nearly all fresh beef. We don't use it because it doesn't communicate anything meaningful.

"Premium" is subjective. We use specific, measurable standards instead of the word premium, even though we believe our standards are premium by any reasonable definition.

FAQ

Is grass-fed beef always better than conventional?

From a nutritional standpoint, 100% Grass-Fed and Finished beef consistently shows higher omega-3 content and higher CLA concentrations than grain-fed beef. Whether that difference matters to you depends on how you prioritize nutritional attributes in your food choices.

What's the difference between grass-fed and organic?

Organic certification in the United States governs what the animal was fed (organic feed, which can include organic grain) and what it wasn't exposed to (synthetic pesticides, most antibiotics). It does not require 100% grass feeding. Grass-fed and organic are separate attributes that can overlap but often don't.

Are Pre products certified by a third party?

Pre's sourcing uses third-party audits as part of its verification process. The 15 Points of Curation framework is the primary sourcing standard, which goes beyond what most single third-party certifications require.

Does "no added hormones" mean the beef is hormone-free?

No. All animals produce hormones naturally. "No added hormones" means no synthetic growth hormones were administered. It is a meaningful claim for beef specifically, since hormone use is legal in US cattle production and common in conventional supply chains.