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Understanding Turkey Talk Before Thanksgiving
Emily Lynne Ion
Saturday, November 01, 2008
98% of Americans gobble up turkey during a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, farmers sold about $3.86 billion worth of turkeys in 2007, according to the USDA.
To buy a turkey that is healthy, humane, and eco-friendly is no small task. When shopping for a turkey, we are confronted with a label language few can understand. Heirloom? Free-range? And everyone’s favorite, Natural? We know enough to be skeptical of deceptive labeling, so what do all these claims mean?
Our friends at Celebrate Green! devoted a section of their Thanksgiving chapter to decoding the turkey talk – so you know what you’re buying into before it’s dinner time. If you haven’t yet picked up a copy of this invaluable green holiday guide book, do so now! Remember Healthy Child receives a donation for every copy sold.
Definitions and Labeling for Turkey as defined by the USDA:
Natural
Turkey labeled natural contains no artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical preservative, or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient. It must also be minimally processed, so that the raw product is in no way fundamentally altered. The label must explain the use of the term “natural” with product-specific details.
No Hormones
Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising poultry. So any label that claims “no hormones added” is advertising falsely or trying to legitimize a higher price tag.
Kosher
According to Kosher laws, animals should be cared for ethically, and slaughtered as humanely as possible. However, correct Kosher treatment may be the exception rather than the rule, especially in large organizations. The label doesn't guarantee that animals are raised or treated any better than animals from industrial farms. Local farms or butchers may have more specific details on how their poultry was raised and cared for.
Organic
Any product claiming to be organic isn’t fully legit without the USDA Organic Seal, which means the product is made of 95% organic ingredients. When the term organic appears on a label without the seal, the product is 70% or more organic.
Free-range
Free-range turkeys are touted as the best for the bird. But, the USDA says the term means very little, only that birds have “access” to the outdoors. That means they are likely bred similarly to conventional birds: in over-crowded space with a short lifespan to end in a potentially inhumane slaughter. Once again, your local farm or vendor may be able to better guarantee your bird enjoyed a humane life.
Heritage
Heritage turkeys are defined by the historic, range-based production system in which they are raised. They must meet the following criteria: natural mating, long productive outdoor lifestyle, and slow growth rate.
Heirloom
According to the Heritage Turkey Foundation, heirloom turkeys may come from older breeds, and “can’t mate naturally, do not mature like true heritage turkeys, and don’t taste good.”
Thanks to our friends at Celebrate Green! for continuing support and collaboration!
Posted by sue lundquist on 11/03 at 11:22 AM
Emily, thank you! Just like so many other things out there, there is SO much information and trying to figure out what is what is a full-time job. Again thank you for weeding through it all for us! Sue
Posted by Sandy Diaz on 11/03 at 05:09 PM
So, where in the NYC area can I find a good, healthy, eco-friendly raised turkey?
Posted by andi on 11/03 at 06:15 PM
What about antibiotics in turkey?
Posted by Emily on 11/04 at 01:58 PM
Sandy,
Here is a fantastic resource for finding organic food that is locally grown, www.localharvest.org.
Local Harvest connects you with farmers’ markets, local farms, sustainable restaurants, and organic grocers across the country. Put in your city or zip code, and you’ll find many options for organic produce, healthy meats, and sustainable products in your neighborhood.
Local Harvest’s website is now featuring a special Thanksgiving section to guide your search. If what you need isn’t locally available, they connect you with vendors who ship nationally.
Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Emily on 11/04 at 02:22 PM
Andi,
Thanks for bringing this up, its a very important consideration when shopping for meat.
The USDA bans the use of hormones on pork or poultry, so don’t be impressed if the label reads NO HORMONES ADMINISTERED. Hormones should not be present in turkey. However, there is less regulation around the antibiotics given animals to fight infection and the pesticides present in their feed. Buying certified organic meat eliminates your exposure to all of these factors. You’ll rest assured with an organic turkey!
In my previous post, I suggested having a look at www.localharvest.org to find local farms and farmers’ markets nationwide that offer organic meat and produce.
Thanks for the question!
Posted by olya on 10/24 at 06:43 PM
Thank you for this article, those labels can often be confusing and unfortunately misleading so it helps a bit to understand the meaning behind them. I always have to chuckle at the ‘natural’ label because the meaning of it is as misleading as it gets. Thanks to the FDA, HFCS is now natural too because it’s made from a natural product - corn. Natural or not, I won’t let my kids having anything with HFCS, period. So I wouldn’t put all my trust in those labels, knowing how FDA operates. How sad is that?