The pairing of grilled pork and stone fruit is a sweet-and-savory match made in heaven. You’ll find Niman Ranch pork chops, along with organic plums and pluots in our weekly sale from August 5th – 11th, so it’s a great time to fire up the grill and give this dish a try. The sale also features organic french couscous, which can serve as a perfect base upon which to lay your grilled chop, topped with grilled stone fruits, whose sweet and smoky juices create a perfect sauce to help bring all the flavors together.
We’re shining the Member Deals Spotlight on Niman Ranch this week to celebrate their efforts to provide all-natural meats raised by family farmers committed to sustainable & humane practices. All of their meats will be 20% off for member-owners from December 27th – January 2nd. Read on to learn more about Niman Ranch, their dedication to sustainable meat, and the small family farmers who make it possible.
Niman Ranch began in the early 1970s on an eleven-acre ranch in a small coastal town just north of San Francisco. The cattle were raised using traditional, humane husbandry methods and given wholesome all-natural feeds. Before long, Niman Ranch beef became a favorite in local grocery stores and at San Francisco Bay Area restaurants. Today, the Niman Ranch network has grown to include over 720 independent American farmers & ranchers, who all share Niman Ranch’s dedication to the strictest protocols. Their meats are Certified Humane ®, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed only the finest all vegetarian feeds.
Niman Ranch believes that sustainable agriculture is best described as livestock raising and production practices which balance current resource demands without compromising the future of these resources from an environmental, economic, and human perspective. They also believe that sustainability does not end with the farmer and must carry throughout the supply chain. For this reason, they choose to raise livestock in areas where feed sources are locally available to reduce the environmental impact of feed transport. Sustainability at Niman Ranch incorporates sustainable agricultural practices with economic sustainability for the farmers, the ranchers, their customers, and their employees; all of which are an integral part of their overall business philosophy of RAISED WITH CARE.
The Niman Ranch Top 10 Sustainability Best Practices
Pay farmers a premium in accordance to our strict raising protocols to ensure the economic viability of their business.
Establish a floor price for our farmers tied to the cost of inputs of feed and fuel.
Provide a robust and growing national marketplace for our small, independent farmers and ranchers to sell their products.
Promote agricultural biodiversity by using breeds which thrive in their natural environment.
Practice genetic diversity to keep breeds healthy over generations.
Maintain livestock density well below the conventional industry standard so the land will not be overburdened.
Raise livestock in areas where feed is locally available to reduce transportation needs and lower the carbon footprint.
Mitigate soil erosion and/or loss by maintaining pasture with coverage for livestock, crop rotation, rotational grazing, and responsible waste/manure management.
Prohibit the use of concentrated liquid manure systems that are used in conventional feedlot settings.
Utilize buffer strips and grassed waterways to support soil and water quality.
Humane Animal Care
As of September 2016, 100% of Niman Ranch’s proteins- Pork, Beef and Lamb, and our Processed Products, will be Certified Humane®. The Certified Humane® certification program is a program of Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC). HFAC is a leading non-profit certifier of the highest farm animal welfare standards.
Our farms, ranches, harvest facilities, processing locations, and co-packers have been audited by the Certified Humane® Auditors to meet the Humane Farm Animal Care Animal Care Standards. It was easy for our farmers to meet the HFAC standards since our standards were developed with the same strict oversight by Dr. Temple Grandin. Dr. Grandin is a member of HFAC’s scientific committee.
We will still have more field agents working directly with our farmers than salespeople. We will still have dedicated staff who review our protocols and conduct audits of our farms, ranches and harvest facilities. HFAC auditors are experts in the species they audit, as they are animal scientists with master’s degrees or Ph.D.’s.
Click HERE to read more about their practices and view maps of their farm locations
We’re shining the Member Deals Spotlight on Niman Ranch this week to celebrate their efforts to provide all-natural meats raised by family farmers committed to sustainable & humane practices. All of their meats will be 20% off for member-owners from December 28th – January 3rd. Read on to learn more about Niman Ranch, their dedication to sustainable meat, and the small family farmers who make it possible.
Niman Ranch began in the early 1970’s on an eleven-acre ranch in a small coastal town just north of San Francisco. The cattle were raised using traditional, humane husbandry methods and given wholesome all-natural feeds. Before long, Niman Ranch beef became a favorite in local grocery stores and at San Francisco Bay Area restaurants. Today, the Niman Ranch network has grown to include over 700 independent American farmers & ranchers, who all share Niman Ranch’s dedication to the strictest protocols. Their meats are humanely raised, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed only the finest all vegetarian feeds.
Niman Ranch believes that sustainable agriculture is best described as livestock raising and production practices which balance current resource demands without compromising the future of these resources from an environmental, economic, and human perspective. They also believe that sustainability does not end with the farmer and must carry throughout the supply chain. For this reason, they choose to raise livestock in areas where feed sources are locally available to reduce the environmental impact of feed transport. Sustainability at Niman Ranch incorporates sustainable agricultural practices with economic sustainability for the farmers, the ranchers, their customers, and their employees; all of which are an integral part of their overall business philosophy of RAISED WITH CARE.
The Niman Ranch Top 10 Sustainability Best Practices
Pay farmers a premium in accordance to strict raising protocols
Establish a floor price for farmers tied to the cost of inputs of feed and fuel
Promote agricultural biodiversity by using breeds which thrive in their natural environment
Practice genetic diversity to keep breeds healthy over generations
Maintain livestock density well below conventional industry standards so as not to overburden the land
Raise livestock in geographies where feed is locally available to reduce carbon footprint incurred during transport
Mitigate soil erosion and/or loss through maintaining pasture with coverage for livestock, crop rotation, rotational grazing, and responsible waste/manure management
Prohibit use of concentrated liquid manure systems
Use buffer strips and grassed waterways
Provide a robust marketplace for farmers and ranchers and their livestock
Humane Animal Care
All Niman Ranch livestock are humanely raised according to the strictest animal handling protocols. These protocols were written based on the recommendations of animal handling expert Dr. Temple Grandin. Here is a summary:
Livestock are raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens
Livestock always have access to fresh, clean water
Livestock are able to express their natural behaviors in healthy social groups
All farms are gestation crate-free
Click HERE to read in-depth animal-raising protocols
Ensuring Compliance
Niman Ranch follows a 3-step process to ensure full compliance with their protocols.
All of their farmers and ranchers regularly complete affidavits agreeing to follow all protocols
Niman Ranch personally inspects each farm before it is accepted into their program to ensure it meets standards
The Niman Ranch field agents, located throughout the country, regularly visit and inspect the farms and ranches in their network. Niman Ranch has more field agents than sales reps!
Click HERE to read more about their practices and view maps of their farm locations
We’re shining the Member Deals Spotlight on Niman Ranch this week to celebrate their efforts to provide all-natural meats raised by family farmers committed to sustainable & humane practices. All of their meats will be 20% off for member-owners from May 4th – 10th. Read on to learn more about Niman Ranch, their dedication to sustainable meat, and the small family farmers who make it possible.
Niman Ranch began in the early 1970’s on an eleven-acre ranch in a small coastal town just north of San Francisco. The cattle were raised using traditional, humane husbandry methods and given wholesome all-natural feeds. Before long, Niman Ranch beef became a favorite in local grocery stores and at San Francisco Bay Area restaurants. Today, the Niman Ranch network has grown to include over 700 independent American farmers & ranchers, who all share Niman Ranch’s dedication to the strictest protocols. Their meats are humanely raised, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed only the finest all vegetarian feeds.
Niman Ranch believes that sustainable agriculture is best described as livestock raising and production practices which balance current resource demands without compromising the future of these resources from an environmental, economic, and human perspective. They also believe that sustainability does not end with the farmer and must carry throughout the supply chain. For this reason, they choose to raise livestock in areas where feed sources are locally available to reduce the environmental impact of feed transport. Sustainability at Niman Ranch incorporates sustainable agricultural practices with economic sustainability for the farmers, the ranchers, their customers, and their employees; all of which are an integral part of their overall business philosophy of RAISED WITH CARE.
The Niman Ranch Top 10 Sustainability Best Practices
Pay farmers a premium in accordance to strict raising protocols
Establish a floor price for farmers tied to the cost of inputs of feed and fuel
Promote agricultural biodiversity by using breeds which thrive in their natural environment
Practice genetic diversity to keep breeds healthy over generations
Maintain livestock density well below conventional industry standards so as not to overburden the land
Raise livestock in geographies where feed is locally available to reduce carbon footprint incurred during transport
Mitigate soil erosion and/or loss through maintaining pasture with coverage for livestock, crop rotation, rotational grazing, and responsible waste/manure management
Prohibit use of concentrated liquid manure systems
Use buffer strips and grassed waterways
Provide a robust marketplace for farmers and ranchers and their livestock
Humane Animal Care
All Niman Ranch livestock are humanely raised according to the strictest animal handling protocols. These protocols were written based on the recommendations of animal handling expert Dr. Temple Grandin. Here is a summary:
Livestock are raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens
Livestock always have access to fresh, clean water
Livestock are able to express their natural behaviors in healthy social groups
All farms are gestation crate-free
Click HERE to read in-depth animal-raising protocols
Ensuring Compliance
Niman Ranch follows a 3-step process to ensure full compliance with their protocols.
All of their farmers and ranchers regularly complete affidavits agreeing to follow all protocols
Niman Ranch personally inspects each farm before it is accepted into their program to ensure it meets standards
The Niman Ranch field agents, located throughout the country, regularly visit and inspect the farms and ranches in their network. Niman Ranch has more field agents than sales reps!
Click HERE to read more about their practices and view maps of their farm locations
We’re shedding some light on Niman Ranch this week to celebrate their efforts to provide all-natural meats raised by family farmers committed to sustainable & humane practices. All of their meats will be 20% off this week for member-owners, and it’s a special 10-day sale this time around, so it’s a great opportunity to stock up the freezer! Read on to learn more about Niman Ranch, their dedication to sustainable meat, and the small family farmers who make it possible.
Niman Ranch began in the early 1970’s on an eleven-acre ranch in a small coastal town just north of San Francisco. The cattle were raised using traditional, humane husbandry methods and given wholesome all-natural feeds. Before long, Niman Ranch beef became a favorite in local grocery stores and at San Francisco Bay Area restaurants. Today, the Niman Ranch network has grown to include over 700 independent American farmers & ranchers, who all share Niman Ranch’s dedication to the strictest protocols. Their meats are humanely raised, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed only the finest all vegetarian feeds.
Niman Ranch believes that sustainable agriculture is best described as livestock raising and production practices which balance current resource demands without compromising the future of these resources from an environmental, economic, and human perspective. They also believe that sustainability does not end with the farmer and must carry throughout the supply chain. For this reason, they choose to raise livestock in areas where feed sources are locally available to reduce the environmental impact of feed transport. Sustainability at Niman Ranch incorporates sustainable agricultural practices with economic sustainability for the farmers, the ranchers, their customers, and their employees; all of which are an integral part of their overall business philosophy of RAISED WITH CARE.
The Niman Ranch Top 10 Sustainability Best Practices
Pay farmers a premium in accordance to strict raising protocols
Establish a floor price for farmers tied to the cost of inputs of feed and fuel
Promote agricultural biodiversity by using breeds which thrive in their natural environment
Practice genetic diversity to keep breeds healthy over generations
Maintain livestock density well below conventional industry standards so as not to overburden the land
Raise livestock in geographies where feed is locally available to reduce carbon footprint incurred during transport
Mitigate soil erosion and/or loss through maintaining pasture with coverage for livestock, crop rotation, rotational grazing, and responsible waste/manure management
Prohibit use of concentrated liquid manure systems
Use buffer strips and grassed waterways
Provide a robust marketplace for farmers and ranchers and their livestock
Humane Animal Care
All Niman Ranch livestock are humanely raised according to the strictest animal handling protocols. These protocols were written based on the recommendations of animal handling expert Dr. Temple Grandin. Here is a summary:
Livestock are raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens
Livestock always have access to fresh, clean water
Livestock are able to express their natural behaviors in healthy social groups
All farms are gestation crate-free
Click HERE to read in-depth animal-raising protocols
Ensuring Compliance
Niman Ranch follows a 3-step process to ensure full compliance with their protocols.
All of their farmers and ranchers regularly complete affidavits agreeing to follow all protocols
Niman Ranch personally inspects each farm before it is accepted into their program to ensure it meets standards
The Niman Ranch field agents, located throughout the country, regularly visit and inspect the farms and ranches in their network. Niman Ranch has more field agents than sales reps!
Click HERE to read more about their practices and view maps of their farm locations
We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Niman Ranch this week to highlight their commitment to offering all-natural meats raised by small family farmers committed to sustainable and humane practices. We all know that words like “natural” and “sustainable” can be applied to foods without any real, tangible, meaningful standards to back them up. In fact, the USDA legally allows the use of the word “natural” on meat and poultry despite the fact that the term isn’t currently well-defined or meaningful, rendering it a deceptive marketing ploy rather than a clear indication of how a meat or poultry product was raised or processed. That’s why we love Niman Ranch. When they throw around words like “natural’, “sustainable”, and “humane”, it actually means something. Here’s how they back it up:
Raised on more than 700 small sustainable family farms and ranches
Raised according to the most humane animal handling protocols in the industry
Raised by farmers who adhere to sustainable agricultural practices.
Never given antibiotics or hormones – ever.
Never fed animal by-products – ever.
What do we mean when we say our animals are raised humanely?
All Niman Ranch livestock are humanely raised according to the strictest animal handling protocols. These protocols were written based on the recommendations of animal handling expert Dr. Temple Grandin. Our independent family farmers are required to raise their livestock outdoors or in deeply bedded pens. Their animals have continual access to food and water and spend their entire lives with their litter mates. This allows the animals to express their natural instinctive behaviors and form healthy social groups. Gestation crates and farrowing crates are strictly prohibited.
What does sustainability mean to us?
Sustainability is at the core of our Raised With Care philosophy. We believe that sustainable agriculture is best described as livestock raising and production practices which balance current resource demands without compromising the future of the resources from an environmental, economic, and human perspective. We realize that a sustainable system is not successful unless we also maintain the economic health of all our farmers and ranchers, so our sustainability practices incorporate this understanding into what we call our Top 10 Sustainability Best Practices:
Pay farmers a premium in accordance to our strict raising protocols
Establish a floor price for our farmers tied to the cost of inputs of feed and fuel
Promote agricultural biodiversity by using a wide range of breeds uniquely suited to the specific natural environments in which they are raised
Practice genetic diversity to keep breeds healthy over generations
Maintain livestock density well below conventional industry standards to prevent overburdening the land
Raise livestock in geographies where feed is locally available to reduce the carbon footprint associated with feed transport
Mitigate soil erosion and/or loss through: maintaining pasture with coverage for livestock, crop rotation, rotational grazing and responsible waste/manure management.
Prohibit the use of concentrated liquid manure systems. Manure is managed as a beneficial resource and is never allowed to negatively impact the local environment.
Use buffer strips and grassed waterways
Provide a robust and growing marketplace for our farmers and ranchers livestock
Do animals need antibiotics?
Since our animals are not raised in crowded, unsanitary or stressful conditions, the need for antibiotics to treat sick animals is very low. Our animals never receive antibiotics – ever.
What if an animal gets sick?
Occasionally, one of the animals raised for us becomes sick and cannot get well without antibiotics. Our animal welfare protocols allow for the animal to be treated, but then removed from the Niman Ranch program. It is never sold as Niman Ranch meat.
How can I be sure that all Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers adhere to the protocols?
We follow a 3-step process to ensure full compliance with our strict protocols:
All our farmers and ranchers regularly complete affidavits agreeing to follow all of our protocols.
We personally inspect each farm before it is accepted into our program, to make sure it meets our standards.
Our field agents, located throughout the country, regularly visit and inspect the farms and ranches in our network. We have more field agents than we have sales people.
The farmers and ranchers within our community are true believers in sustainable agriculture and share in our values and vision. They are practicing traditional farming methods because they understand that by raising livestock humanely and sustainably, they will leave an agricultural legacy, ultimately preserving the land for future generations.
Who are the farmers and ranchers of the Niman Ranch community?
Check out this great video below to hear from a sampling of the wonderful farmers and ranchers that are committed to raising animals the Niman Ranch way. You can also see more videos, photos, and read full bios on our webpage.
