Country
Natural Beef / Oregon
Country Beef...Humane Treatment
Country Natural Beef / Oregon Country Beef is a cooperative of 55 family ranches (40 member ranches and 15 prospective ranches) founded in 1986. Every animal in our program is owned or managed by a member ranch giving us control and supervision from birth all the way through to the finished product in the meat counter.
A key component in our mission statement is:
"By striving to market our livestock in a sustainable manner, the members of Country Natural Beef / Oregon Country Beef will take care of and respect the customers, communities and lands which sustain us."
This respect and care includes our livestock and our people who have direct stewardship for each animal's well-being and for the health of the rangeland ecosystems we call home. It is our responsibility to provide assurance to our customers who eat our beef that they can be certain our cattle's basic needs were provided with care, and the native plants and wildlife which are part of their free-range environment receive equal respect.
Humane treatment of our cattle from birth through processing is a key component of our total program. Since our member ranchers retain ownership of the beef until it reaches the retail level, we have direct oversight over the short feedlot finishing period, the slaughter and the processing.
Washington Beef at Toppenish has been a working partner in our total program since 1991. Humane slaughter is a priority at Washington Beef. It is carried out with great respect and is sudden, immediate and complete without generating fear or pain in the animals final minutes. The entire process is conducted under a U.S.D.A. approved Washington Beef Quality Control program for humane handling and slaughtering.
If you have further questions call Doc Hatfield (541-576-2455), rancher member and quality control Veterinarian for Oregon Country Beef.
P.D. Hatfield, DVM
Doc & Connie Hatfield
Hatfield's High Desert Ranch
Brothers, Oregon