Pasture for Life

British farmers committed to producing high quality food in a more natural way.

Here at Priory Farm, our Butchery stocks a range of Pasture for Life meat. Below, we share the benefits of Pasture for Life.

Why Pasture for Life

These days, more and more meat and dairy products are being promoted as grass-fed. However, until now, the term has not been clearly defined and can be applied to virtually any farming system where grass forms just part of the animal’s diet.

Meat and dairy products carrying the Pasture for Life logo is guaranteed to come from animals that have only ever eaten pasture and have been looked after extremely well. More often than not, they will have spent their whole life on the farm where they were born.

Grass is the UK’s national crop but is often under-utilised. There is great potential to produce more food from Britain’s grassland, reducing the need to import feeds from abroad.

Meat and dairy from animals fed exclusively on pasture their entire lives consistently receive very positive feedback from consumers, for exceptional taste, flavour, texture and tenderness. The taste of Pasture for Life produce reflects the qualities of the plants the animals have eaten and the health of the soil beneath their feet.

Nutritional Benefits

Food from animals that are grass-fed has significant nutritional benefits compared to meat produced from grain-fed cattle and sheep.

Benefits include:

  • Lower total fat and saturated fat levels.
  • Higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids and a lower, more balanced (and healthier) ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids.
  • Higher vitamin and mineral levels.
  • Particularly rich in vitamins A and E, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Animal Welfare

Compelling scientific research shows animals fed on pasture are less stressed, live longer and are more fertile than those farmed intensively.

Pasture-fed livestock are given the freedom to express their normal behaviours and often live in family groups. They feed on a natural diet of pasture and forage such as hay in winter. They are also less likely to suffer from disease and require little veterinary attention or antibiotics.

Environmental Benefits

Grazing animals returns nutrients and organic matter back into the ground, ensuring the soil remains healthy and fertile.

Grassland helps capture and store carbon, so that less is released into the atmosphere. The carbon footprint of pasture-fed farms can be significantly lower than that of farms where cereal crops are grown to feed animals.

Pasture farmers sow legumes such as white and red clover, which help other grasses and plants grow without the need for chemical-based fertilisers. These pastures are alive with wildlife including many flowers, insects, birds and mammals.

Pasture for Life specifically prohibits feeding soya to animals, much of which is grown on land cleared of native tropical forests. As a result, Pasture for Life farmers are not contributing to the destruction of precious resources elsewhere in the world. The Pasture for Life Association is committed to supporting farmers to become as environmentally friendly as possible, for example helping them to adapt in the face of subsidy changes.

Find out more about Pasture for Life at pastureforelife.org

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Priory Farm Estate
Sandy Lane, South Nutfield
Redhill, RH1 4EJ
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