(Georgia Recorder) — Georgia could soon take on an inspection role in ensuring grass-fed beef lives up to its labeling under a new proposal a key state legislator says he may pursue next year.
State Rep. Robert Dickey, who chairs the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, said there needs to be more transparency in how cattle are raised in the grass-fed beef industry to protect consumers from potentially misleading marketing.
“We’ve got a great beef industry and healthy food, and that’s what consumers are looking for,” the Musella Republican said. “We just want to make sure that they are getting what they are paying for. We want to put parameters around what is grass-fed, corn-fed, pasture raised or organic.”
The discussion comes as grass-fed beef has grown in popularity as health-conscious consumers increasingly seek fresher cuts of meat through farm-to-table programs that promise no preservatives, no hormone injections and no GMOs.
Dickey, who is a peach farmer, unveiled his idea back in April in the waning days of the 2025 legislative session that saw a similar labeling bill targeting the shrimp industry gain traction in the House before dying in the Senate.
HB 117 mandated that restaurants verify on menus the source of shrimp as a means of transparency for consumers. If approved, its authors – including Reps. Jesse Petrea, Savannah Republican and Al Williams, a Midway Democrat – hoped it would also help the state’s beleaguered shrimp industry, which has struggled in recent years against foreign competitors with cheaper labor costs.
The House passed the bill 165-7, but the measure failed to retain its momentum in the Senate.
Dickey said he does not yet have details on the shape of the possible legislation, such as how “grass-fed” would be defined, what farmers would need to prove to qualify for certification or if there are costs associated with the inspections.
At this point, he wants input from consumers, beef producers and the cattle industry on what they would like to see in legislation if he were to make a formal proposal. The state Department of Agriculture could also play an advisory role if he finds the feedback persuades him to move forward.
“We want to make something that is workable for the ranchers and the cattlemen,” he said. “We don’t want to restrict, we want to make sure consumers understand what they are getting.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture used to regulate the labeling of grass-fed beef but stepped back from that role in 2016, University of Georgia professor of beef and cattle Lawton Stewart said. Third-party inspectors such as the American Grassfed Association, Food Alliance and A Greener World stepped in to fill the void.
The challenge the industry faces is defining grass-fed beef, Stewart said. Most cattle are raised eating grass but may be switched over to grain to fatten them up before processing. Others that are “grass-finished” can eat grain earlier in their lives but may be switched to an all-grass diet before they are processed.
“It comes down really to what tastes better to you, because grass-fed and grain-fed do taste different,” he said. “It comes down to the fat profile. The grass creates a different fatty acid profile compared to grain. And typically grass-fed is leaner because there are fewer calories in their diet.”
Dickey’s proposal received a mixed reaction from beef producers in the state.
Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, a leader in the grass-fed beef industry, said he’s all for transparency, but thinks the industry is already overwhelmed with labels. A better option would be to create more uniformity in how grass-fed beef is marketed and to ensure that beef raised in other countries is properly identified for consumers.
“Transparency is more than a label,” said Harris, who added that he invites consumers to see how cattle are raised on his farm in person. “We have an open-door policy.”
Fernando Mendez of Marview Farms in Arabi agreed. He said for the labeling to be effective, the public needs to be educated on the difference between grass-fed, grass-finished, grain-fed and other methods of raising cattle.
“The way we talk about it is grass-fed, grass finished,” he said, adding that most people just hear grass-fed but aren’t aware there is more to it. “That’s a misinterpretation.”
Phillip Bridges, who operates Lexington-based The Georgia Beef Company with his brother Alan Bridges, said he opposes a state-mandated inspection. He already participates in the state’s Georgia Grown program, which works with farms to make sure their product is safe and trustworthy before giving a seal of approval.
Adding another layer of inspection appears to him to be more government bureaucracy, he said.
“If someone has a problem with my meat, they talk to me,” he said, adding that grass-fed producers lose customers if they are falsely identifying their product. “I’m not willing to do a third-party verification. I don’t see the need to pay someone to tell my customers I’m telling the truth.”
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said he will work with state leaders if this proposal becomes law in the future. Right now, the discussion is in its infancy, he said, and the road map is unclear.
Legislation will have to balance the needs of the consumer and the producer and take into consideration production costs for farmers, Harper said.
“At the end of the day it’s about fairness to consumers and it’s about fairness to farmers and ensuring that the products are not deceptively labeled,” he said.
