The Harris Ranch Guarantee:
If you are not absolutely satisfied with any Harris Ranch product, we will replace your order.
(Shipping charges are non-refundable.)
Harris Ranch Natural Beef
- Minimally Processed
- No Artificial Ingredients
- Cattle Tested for Antibiotic Residues
- Feed Tested for Pesticide Residues
To keep quality consistent, high standards are maintained while different processes and checkpoints are required. Here's more on how we guarantee superior quality on everything with the Harris Ranch name:
Harris Ranch Beef
Consumers told us they were concerned about the foods they bought, so we listened. More importantly, we did something about it. We introduced the Harris Ranch Natural Beef Residue Control Program, and unique program ensuring our beef does not contain unwanted levels of drugs or pesticide residues.
Our Residue Control Program goes far beyond other natural beef programs, by surpassing USDA guidelines with routine testing for antibiotic residues in cattle and during processing in addition to testing all feed for pesticide residues
Five Steps to Superior Quality.
Our Residue Control Program is a five-step process that ensures Harris Ranch beef remains at its natural best.
1. Long-standing relationships with the best cattle producers in the Western United States.
These livestock producers understand our goals as a beef company and select the breeds they raise based on proven performance traits. We reward these producers for supplying Harris Ranch with superior genetics that result in a superior beef product for you, our customers.
2. Balanced rations of quality feed grains, hay, vitamins and minerals.
A nutritionist makes recommendations and makes sure all feed ingredients are routinely lab tested ensuring there are no unwanted levels of pesticide residues.
3. Frequent sampling of the cattle on feed and testing.
To make sure there are no antibiotic residues we conduct a test on the cattle for antibiotic residues. The feed is tested for pesticide residues.
4. Testing during processing.
To verify the results already gathered at the feedlot we go through a process known as a STOP test. We're simply continuing to monitor for any antibiotic residues. The tests we conduct are accurate and reliable and we have never had a violation of our stringent standards for either antibiotic or chemical pesticide residue since starting our program in 1985.
5. Strict sanitary standards and continuous monitoring.
Using steam pasteurization and organic acid washes virtually eliminate bacterial contamination prior to packaging, boxing and shipping. Our Quality Assurance staff's #1 goal is to ensure every product's quality from the beginning and to it's final destination.
The Truth About Hormones
Harris Ranch being California's largest cattle feeder, buys cattle from producers in several states. It is a common production practice for hormonal implants to be given to young cattle by ranchers to increase feed efficiency and enable an animal to produce more lean meat compared to fat. These implants are 100% safe because hormones, found naturally in all plants and animals, are essential for life. However, considerable misinformation about the use of hormones currently exists.
Hormonal ear implants have a typical half-life of 60 days. This means that after 60 days, only one-half the original amount of estrogen hormone will remain in an animal's body. At Harris Ranch we feed our cattle a minimum of 120 days. Therefore, at the end of our normal cattle feeding cycle, an animal will have naturally utilized any hormone implant it may have received. As a result, there will be virtually no detectable change in the amount of estrogen hormone found in the meat.
According to researchers, the amount of estrogen hormone found in a 3-ounce serving of beef from a non-treated animal may rise from 1.2 nanograms (one nanogram is a billionth of a gram) to 1.9 nanograms in the same size serving of beef from a treated animal. When it is realized, however, that the average non-pregnant female produces 480,000 nanograms of estrogen each day through normal activity, the increased body-load of estrogen is virtually incalculable and of no physiological or medical consequences to the consumer.
Some interesting facts...
- There is over 20 times more estrogen hormone in one glass of milk than in a 3-ounce steak from a treated steer.
- There is over 100 times more estrogen in an egg than in a 3-ounce steak from a treated steer.
- Ounce-for-ounce, split pea soup has nearly 300 times more estrogen than beef from a treated steer.
Going to such extremes to ensure the wholesomeness of our beef requires true dedication to quality and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction. Maybe that's why Harris Ranch is the only major branded beef company on the West Coast to offer such a unique Natural Beef Residue Control Program.
That ought to tell you something. Not only about the beef produced under this program-beef that's naturally flavorful and tender. But it should also tell you something about Harris Ranch itself. A company you can always count on for unsurpassed quality.