On 8 Sep 2005 16:42:39 -0700, "Rudy Canoza" > wrote:
>Derek wrote:
>> On 8 Sep 2005 12:43:27 -0700, "Rudy Canoza" > wrote:
>> >Derek wrote:
>> >> On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 17:37:59 GMT, Rudy Canoza > wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >Beef sold as "grass-fed" is, indeed, 100% grass-fed.
>> >>
>> >> Not according to evidence from U.S.D.A.
>> >
>> >Yes, according to all evidence.
>>
>> U.S.D.A. have issued a marketing claims standard
>> proposal which
>
>...has now been withdrawn.

That's a desperate lie to be offering right now, especially
when looking at the response you received only yesterday
from William Sessions, the associate deputy administrator
at the Livestock and Seed Program at USDA who verifies
that the proposal is still very much alive and under review.
Here's what you wrote yesterday;

[I wrote to William Sessions, the associate deputy
administrator (how's that for a title) at the Livestock
and Seed Program at USDA that is in charge of
writing the standard for the "meat marketing claims";
his name, title and e-mail address are at a web page
whose URL I gave yesterday,
http://www.fass.org/fasstrack/news_i...p?news_id=1152

Here's his reply:

From: "Sessions, William" >
To: <jonball@[...]>

Mr. Ball: Thanks for your message. The marketing
claim standards are still under review by USDA.
Accordingly, the standards have not been published
in a final form for use. I hope this information is
helpful. Please let me know if further information is
needed. Thanks,

William T. Sessions
Associate Deputy Administrator Livestock and Seed
Program
Jonathan Ball (Rudy Canoza) http://tinyurl.com/dkdxo

So you've lied, Jon. It hasn't been dropped at all: "The
marketing claims standards are still under review by
USDA.", and while this review is under way USDA
urges beef producers to use their proposed marketing
claims standards while it prepares to make them final
later by publishing them.

"The proposed marketing claim standards may be used in
conjunction with [non]existing regulations or voluntary
USDA grade standards in USDA Certified and USDA
Verified programs." [my edit]
http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/ls0202.txt

When published ALL "New participants in USDA
Certified or USDA Verified programs will be required
to adhere to the United States Standards for Livestock
and Meat Marketing Claims immediately."

"AMS is seeking public comment on the following
proposed United States Standards for Livestock and
Meat Marketing Claims. New participants in USDA
Certified or USDA Verified programs will be required
to adhere to the United States Standards for Livestock
and Meat Marketing Claims immediately."
http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/ls0202.txt

Grass fed beef, then, is grain finished, just like any other
steer in the feedlot, and U.S.D.A. is about to publish a
claims standard that will allow beef farmers to continue
deceiving their customers. A consumer reports magazine
confirms these concerns as follows;

[The claims “100 percent grass fed” and “grass fed only,”
which may appear on other companies’ packaging, would
be useful if true, but they’re not verified, either.

A proposal by the USDA for an optional verification program
for “process claims,” including feeding methods, would only
add to the confusion. Products that passed an inspection could
carry a “USDA Process Verified” shield next to the label “grass
fed” if as little as 80 percent of the feed were grass, with no
limits on the other 20 percent; “grain fed” could be used with a
diet of as little as 50 percent grain. The agency has delayed
implementation of the rule after protests from farmer and
consumer groups, including Consumers Union, publisher of
Consumer Reports magazine.]
http://tinyurl.com/b63f3

You lied, Jon. You have no interest in the truth concerning
these matters, and being the meat propagandist you most
certainly are you'll say anything to keep the lie behind grass
fed beef alive.