Niman Ranch

Niman Ranch Raising Livestock

Why does Niman Ranch avoid the use of animal by-products, growth hormones or antibiotics in its feed?

Niman Ranch strives to produce the best tasting, best-for-the-consumer, and best-for-the- planet beef, pork and lamb. Niman believes that the path to this goal is to allow its animals the most natural lifecycle possible. Economics-driven factory farming, in which animals are constrained within small stalls their entire lives and force-fed a chemical soup of animal by-products and chemicals, is harmful to the animals, harmful to the consumer, and a primary cause of agricultural pollution.

Are Niman Ranch animals ever fed any animal by-products?

Niman Ranch has never fed any meat or animal by-products to its livestock. All the grains Niman Ranch feeds its livestock are fit for human consumption. The USDA banned the use of mammalian bone meal in 1997, but still allows the use of ingredients such as chicken feathers, chicken manure and fishmeal. Niman Ranch does not, and will not, use any of these in the feeding of their animals.

Niman Ranch labels its meat “natural”. What does “natural meat” mean?

Although the USDA defines "natural meat" only as meat that is minimally processed without any preservatives, Niman Ranch takes this definition of "natural meat" several steps further.

We define "natural meat" as meat raised without the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones, or animal by-products in its feed. Additionally, all animals must be humanely raised, transported, and slaughtered.

How can Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers be 100 percent positive of the lineage of their animals?

Unlike industrial meat operations, where meat from many sources is homogenized, eliminating the ability to track the origin of the product, at Niman Ranch we know where our livestock has been from farm to plate. All Niman Ranch animals are born, raised and processed in the United States.

Interestingly, the Agriculture Department has recently suggested a mandatory nationwide system of animal identification, making farmers, feedlots and packinghouses track every head of livestock from birth through slaughter by 2009. The factory-farm meat producers immediately raised strenuous objections.

If grass-fed is better than industrially raised beef, why doesn’t Niman Ranch allow its cattle to graze on grass exclusively?

The traditional method of producing the taste in beef that most U.S. consumers over the decades have come to prefer is to “finish” the cattle on grain, which results in more flavorful beef. Industrially produced cattle are fed a chemical and antibiotic-laced mixture of animal by-products all their lives. Niman Ranch cattle graze freely until the final weeks of their lives, and the vegetarian feeds that they then consume are closely monitored and free from antibiotics, growth hormones, and other chemicals.

Sustainable Farming Practices

How do Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers manage animal waste?

The size and style of Niman Ranch operations are capable of fully supporting the manure the livestock produce. Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers raise far fewer animals than the large commercial producers, thus it is not necessary to liquefy waste and store it in cesspools as the conventional industry commonly does. By adhering to the tenets of sustainable agriculture, Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers preserve the integrity of the land and the water as well as that of the animals.

How do conventional farmers manage animal waste?

Factory hog farms typically store liquefied waste in huge pits, termed waste lagoons, which can be as large as one story deep and acres wide. These lagoons are an enormous source of pollution. Frequent leakage and spills contaminate surrounding waterways and groundwater with toxic waste including antibiotics, harmful bacteria and excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.

How does Niman Ranch's work with family farms differ from industrial farming?

Niman Ranch works only with small family-run farms and ranches. Our definition of family farm was developed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI): farms on which an individual or family owns all the animals, depends on the farm for livelihood and provides the major part of the daily labor necessary for the farm’s management and upkeep.

Industrial hog production has shifted from family farms to large factory-style contract farms. Since 1950 the number of U.S. hog farms has dropped from 3 million to less than 98,500 in 1998. Each factory farm typically produces more than 100,000 hogs a year, crowding thousands of animals into cramped indoor confinement. Factory farms separate the ownership of land and livestock from the hands-on management and labor, emphasizing high volume and profit.

Niman Ranch is concerned with the quality of our product, as well as the health and safety of the animals, the consumers and the environment. Our operations are small and sustainable.

How does Niman Ranch support sustainable farming outside of its own practices?

We have created the Niman Ranch Foundation, to which we give a portion of our profits. The funds are in turn donated to the efforts of organizations whose missions are in harmony with ours. Through the Niman Ranch Foundation we have dedicated funds to Waterkeeper Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to keeping international watersheds clean and safe, which has launched a campaign against corporate hog factories. We have also donated proceeds to Farm Aid, an organization founded in 1985 by musicians Willie Nelson, John Mellancamp and Neil Young in order to raise awareness about the plight of the American family farmer. Niman Ranch also supports The Earth Pledge Foundation, The Chez Panisse Foundation and the Chef's Collaborative.

Niman Ranch works closely with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), a non-profit organization that promotes humane and sustainable farming practices with regard to the treatment of animals. Independent family hog farms in compliance with the AWI's husbandry standards market through us.

Does Niman Ranch sell organic meat?

Niman Ranch supports organic farming principles. However, for our meat to be considered organic, all the feed that we give our livestock would have to be certified organic. This is not something we require of our farmers and ranchers, who grow almost all the feed on their farms.

Our farmers do embrace sustainable farming practices: maintain and replenish the soil, give our livestock the finest all-grain and vegetable feeds, and support small family farms. This care and respect for our animals, farmers, and natural resources results in an incredible-tasting product that we feel proud to offer to our customers.

Niman Ranch Family Farmers and Ranchers

How does one become a Niman Ranch family farmer?

All farmers and ranchers who wish to join Niman Ranch must sign an affidavit agreeing to adhere to a strict code of husbandry principals and management protocols. As part of the initial screening process, candidates must submit a meat sample to prove that it meets Niman Ranch’s high quality standards for flavor.

How do you know that your farmers are adhering to Niman Ranch protocols?

Niman Ranch employs eight regional field agents whose job is to provide regular monitoring of Niman Ranch family farms and ranches to ensure that they are conforming to Niman Ranch standards, as well as to offer advice and guidance.

Can I visit a Niman Ranch farm or ranch?

As part of our commitment to educating our customers about what we do, Niman Ranch invites the public to tour our family farms and ranches throughout the United States. Tours are usually offered once each season; farm and ranch locations, and upcoming tours are listed on the Niman Ranch website at www.nimanranch.com.

Meat Quality

Where is Niman Ranch meat sold?

Niman Ranch’s fresh cuts of beef, pork and lamb, and specialty meat products are featured on hundreds of restaurant menus nationwide. Niman Ranch meats are sold in select retail locations as well as online at www.nimanranch.com. For a list of locations of where to buy and where to eat Niman Ranch, please visit our website.

Why is the color of Niman Ranch beef not red when it arrives in the vacuum-sealed pack?

Our meat is vacuum-packed, inhibiting oxygen contamination. Once the packet is opened the meat blooms into the deep red color.

Why doesn't Niman Ranch grade its meat? I'm used to choosing among Prime, Choice, and Select.

Niman Ranch is driven by quality and taste. Grading is a voluntary program of the USDA. It measures the amount of marbling at one specific cut in the carcass. We believe that great taste is far more complex than simply the amount of marbling. We believe it is the result of a combination of feed, breed, age at time of slaughter, care and handling. Because our name is on every piece of meat that we sell, we present one grade – the best.

What is "dry-aged beef"?

In addition to great animal husbandry practices, the superior flavor of Niman Ranch meat is also a result of the care and time we take with our meat immediately after slaughter. Our dry-aging process is not revolutionary; we base it on methods once embraced by the entire meat industry but abandoned over the last 50 years because of the time and money required to adhere to the traditional practices.

Dry aging is part art and part science. The aging process breaks down the enzymes, resulting in a deeper, more mellow flavor and less chewy texture.

Niman Ranch carcasses are broken at the slaughterhouse and the center cuts are moved to our dry-aging room, where we carefully control temperature, humidity, and airflow. The New York, Ribeyes and Prime Rib Roasts stay in this environment approximately 21 days or longer, as their flavor benefits the most from this process. Upon removal, our Niman Ranch butchers remove the dry outer "crust," leaving a wonderfully marbled and delicious dry-aged cut of beef.

Why does Niman Ranch use sodium nitrites in its cured meat products?

We use nitrites as additives in many of our cured meats because they prevent botulism and other bacterial contamination. A side benefit of nitrites is that they preserve the color of cured meats. Without the nitrites, the meat tends to turn gray. They also enhance the flavor profile of our cured meat.

We have introduced some nitrite-free cured meats, such as bacon, ham, and hotdogs. When we make these items without the use of nitrites, the USDA requires us to say these meats are "uncured." They consider the nitrites to be the cure. We continue to work on development of other uncured meats.

What makes your fearless franks and knockwursts better than other brands?

We use the same beef for our franks as we use for our finest steaks. We utilize several cuts of meat, primarily plate meat, which is the same cut on pigs used for bacon. In addition to the great taste, these franks contain approximately 30% less fat and sodium and 20% fewer calories than the standard frankfurter as defined by the USDA. While other manufacturers use lower quality meat for hot dogs and franks, the quality of these products is as important to us as any other.

Can I freeze my Niman Ranch meat?

We recommend you eat your meat fresh within five to seven days after receiving it or put it in the freezer to eat at a later date. Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator in the original wrappings. To speed thawing, you may puncture or cut the wrapping.

Meat Safety

Should I be worried about mad cow disease with Niman Ranch meats?

The Niman Ranch protocol makes our meat as safe as any in the United States. All our cattle are born in the U.S. They are never fed any meat or meat by-products. We are able to trace the cattle from birth through slaughter.

Mad Cow is a brain-wasting disease that is primarily spread by feeding infected animal parts to other animals. Niman Ranch livestock graze on sustainable pastures and are given only the finest all-natural feeds, which never contain any animal by-products. We have direct control of our livestock every step of the way to ensure that our customers receive a high quality product that they can feel good about serving to their family.

For more about Niman Ranch, go to their Web site.

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