Normally meat will be labeled as grass-fed when it is pasture-raised. In general, it’s only available at stores like Whole Foods or specialty local butchers. You can also buy meat directly from a local farm that raises animals on pasture. Visit this page for a list of such farms in Massachussetts.

Grass-fed is not the same as organic. Meat can be grass-fed and not organic, or it can be organic and not grass-fed. In fact, most commercially-raised organic meat is not grass-fed. On the other hand, a significant number of small, grass-fed meat producers can’t afford the expensive organic certification. So even though their meat may not be “technically” organic, it is produced with standards that meet and often exceed the organic criteria. Keep this in mind when you’re shopping.

As for raw milk, it’s illegal in most states to sell in stores. However, there’s a legal way around that. You can participate in something called a “cow share”. Basically you buy a partial ownership of a cow from a local farm. Then you can pick up milk directly from the farmer. Because you own the cow, you are free to drink the milk from it. You’re not paying for the milk (which would be illegal), you’re paying for the cow.

There should be a list of cow shares on that same link above.

Thanks for your comment. I am actually working on an article that addresses the question you raised.

In short, Pelletier’s argument is incomplete and completely ignores the carbon impacts of producing grain. There is no mention of the carbon released into the atmosphere in the production of these grain-based, “improved diets”, just as there is never any mention of the petroleum requirements to produce corn-based ethanol.

To produce the grain fed to cows, first the soil must be plowed (a process that requires immense amounts of diesel fuel). Then the seed is planted. This is again accomplished with a tractor that runs on diesel fuel. After the plant begins to grow, it is sprayed several times by a tractor-mounted rig, dowsing the plants in oil-derived herbicides. If bugs are a problem, the same process will be repeated – with yet another diesel-guzzling tractor rig, and more petrochemical-derived chemicals. Then comes the harvest, with its massive diesel combines. The seeds are then trucked cross-country in huge 18-wheeler trucks (guess what they run on?) to distributors and suppliers.

In contrast, grass-fed livestock eat, well, grass that is entirely derived from solar energy. No chemicals or petroleum required. Just the sun, the grass and the cows.

Unfortunately, Pelletier and the “industrial environmentalists” who are quick to criticize grass-fed livestock practices for methane production completely ignore the environmental consequences of producing grain. As you can see, these are not at all insignificant and far outweigh the methane production of grass-fed ruminants.

I’ll have more to say on this subject in the coming article. Hopefully I’ll send it out next week.

Best,
Chris

“Many environmentalists have argued that finishing up the fattening of beef cattle on corn is worse for the environment than cattle that are raised solely on pasture grass. Pelletier says his team’s analysis finds that at least from a climate perspective, the opposite is true. “We do see significant differences in the GHG intensities [of grass vs grain finishing]. It’s roughly on the order of 50 percent higher in grass-finished systems.”
When an audience member questioned whether he had heard that right, that grass-fed cattle have a higher carbon footprint, Pelletier reiterated, “higher. Yes.” The reason: “It’s related to the much higher volumes of feed throughput and associated methane and nitrous-oxide [GHG] emissions.” He added that most pastures were highly managed, and subject to “periodic renovations and also fertilization.” Finally, with grass-fed cattle “there is also a high [grass] trampling rate. So the actual land area that you need to maintain magnifies that [GHG] difference,” Pelletier said.” 

via: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40934/title/AAAS_Climate-friendly_dining_…_meats