Walk into any supermarket and you’ll be met with a wall of labels. From grass-fed, grain-fed, organic, regenerative, to carbon-neutral. They sound impressive, but what do they actually mean? And who’s making the rules?
In this episode of Paddock Talk, Our Cow founders Bianca Tarrant and Dave McGivern break down the jargon, expose the loopholes, and explain what really matters when it comes to the meat on your plate. If you’ve ever felt confused standing at the meat fridge trying to make the “right” choice, this episode is for you.
1. Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed: What’s the Real Difference?
Bianca and Dave start by unpacking the most common label: grass-fed. When Our Cow first began, their very first body of beef was actually grain-finished, simply because the country was in the middle of one of Australia’s worst droughts.
“We had no grass. You can’t just process a skinny cow, the animal needs a proper finish.”
They soon learned customers wanted 100% grass-fed and grass-finished meat. But here’s the catch: in Australia, the term “grass-fed” isn’t tightly regulated. Meat can technically be labelled grass-fed even if the animal spent time on grain, as long as it wasn’t in a certified feedlot.
That’s why Our Cow operates under the Pasture-Fed Cattle Assurance System (PCAS), guaranteeing animals are raised and finished on pasture for life. No grain. No feedlots. Just grass-fed the way nature intended.
2. The Truth About HGP-Free Beef
You’ve probably seen “no added hormones” or “HGP-free” stamped on packaging. HGP stands for Hormone Growth Promotant, a tiny pellet inserted under the animal’s skin to make it gain weight faster.
“Think of it like steroids for cattle,” Dave explains. “They’re in the business of kilos, we’re in the business of grass.”
Producers don’t have to declare when they use HGPs, but they can choose to advertise when they don’t. So, if your meat label doesn’t say HGP-free, there’s a good chance hormones were involved.
3. The Organic Label: When Welfare Comes First
The organic label sounds like the gold standard, but Bianca and Dave reveal it’s not always black and white. Organic farms follow strict no-chemical, no-synthetic rules, yet animals can still be fed grain, as long as it’s certified organic grain.
In tropical regions like Northern NSW, Our Cow farmers face challenges like buffalo fly and liver fluke, parasites that cause real suffering. Treating these with medication means they can’t be certified organic, even though they go above and beyond for animal welfare.
“Imagine being bitten by a thousand mozzies and not being able to do anything about it. Our responsibility as farmers is to protect the animals’ well-being first.”
For many Aussie farmers, “organic” certification is less about farming better and more about paying to play.
4. Carbon-Neutral Claims and Greenwashing in Farming
The next label up for debate: carbon neutral. It’s a phrase thrown around in marketing, but Bianca calls out the reality behind it.
“A lot of businesses don’t actually change what they’re doing, they just buy carbon credits overseas to offset emissions. That’s not fixing the problem.”
Some farmers are already making genuine change, planting trees, improving soil health, and restoring creek systems, not to tick a certification box, but because it’s the right thing to do.
Meanwhile, the “seaweed solution” for methane reduction is mostly being tested in feedlots, not on grass-fed farms. Our Cow believes real progress in agriculture will come from everyday farmers working on practical solutions that keep farms healthy for generations.
5. Regenerative, Sustainable & Biodynamic: What’s Real?
“Regenerative” and “sustainable” have become buzzwords, but they aren’t governed by any official body. Most of Our Cow’s farmers would never label themselves as regenerative, they just farm that way because it makes sense.
“We don’t chase labels; we chase results,” Dave says. “Every farm’s different; different soil, climate, challenges. You can’t box farmers in.”
At the end of the day, sustainability is simply good business. Healthy soil, happy animals, and thriving pastures all mean better farming and better food.
No Paddock Talk episode is complete without a recipe, and Dave’s latest creation proves you can still eat simply while eating well.
After a long day on the farm, he whipped up an easy air-fryer pork-crackle crusted chicken thigh dish, perfect for anyone trying the carnivore lifestyle or just wanting a crisp, high-protein dinner.
Light, crunchy and full of flavour, made in the air fryer at 165°C for 15-16 minutes. View the full recipe here.
This episode is about more than labels, it’s about transparency, trust, and the future of Australian farming.
Our Cow was built to close the gap between the paddock and your plate. When you buy through Our Cow, you’re not buying a label, you’re backing real Aussie farmers who care for their animals, their land, and their community.
“Labels can help, but they don’t always tell the whole story. That’s why we started Our Cow, so you know exactly what you’re buying and where it comes from.”
🎧 Listen to Episode 9 of Paddock Talk now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Because knowing your farmer means trusting your food.
