19 July 2011

2 minute read

North America

Estancia’s mission is to make healthy, sustainably raised grass fed beef available to consumers across the country. RSF’s financing will help Estancia expand their operations and broaden the market for humanely treated grass fed beef.

“RSF Social Finance is proud to support Estancia Beef,” said Scott Hackenberg, RSF Lending Manager. “We look forward to partnering with Estancia to help them supply more consumers with a sustainable, healthy and humane alternative, while bringing further awareness to the myriad of problems associated with our current feedlot system."

Estancia sources its beef from an exclusive cooperative of 40 sustainable family-owned ranches in Uruguay. All cattle are raised eating natural grasses and each has access to two acres of open pasture. These animals are never treated with growth promoting antibiotics or hormones. Furthermore, the cattle are slaughtered following welfare standards which ensure the least amount of stress to the animal.

Estancia’s livestock grazing methods improve the health of the animals, the consumer and the environment. Grass fed beef has half the fat and cholesterol of corn fed beef and is high in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin E. The absence of antibiotics protects animals and consumers against dangerous strains of evolved antibiotic resistant bacteria. Grass fed beef has a much lower risk of E coli and Mad Cow disease. Furthermore, the company projects its carbon footprint to be 1-10 per cent of the US commodity feedlot steer equivalent.

San Francisco based, Estancia Beef was founded in 2005. Their meat is currently available in select Northern California butcher shops, grocery stores and restaurants. Estancia also offers its products wholesale and online. The company intends to increase its distribution with expansion into new markets and increased national account and web sales.

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