U.S. Grass Fed Society
For immediate release
Contact: Wendy Rickard, 609-466-1700, rickard@eatingfresh.com

COUNTRY MUSIC STAR TEDDY GENTRY JOINS U.S. GRASS FED SOCIETY TO PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH, SMART FARMING, AND GREAT FOOD AT GRAZEFEST ALABAMA 2004

Under the watchful eye of a much-adored country musician and respected pasture-based farmer, a newly formed nonprofit organization aims to educate farmers and reach food lovers at its first annual conference and festival celebrating pasture-raised foods.

March 31, 2004; Ft. Payne, Alabama… Talk to Teddy Gentry about beef and the country music star is likely to deliver the kind of well-reasoned lecture about fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acids, omega-3s, and beta carotene that one would expected from a seasoned researcher. Few realize, however, that Gentry does more than sing the praises of pasture-raised and grass-fed meat and dairy products; he runs a well-respected pasture-based farm and beef company that has a growing legion of meat lovers singing their own praises. This September 11–12, Gentry aims to make these healthier, higher-quality farm-raised foods a regular part of the American diet at the first national conference and festival on pasture-raised foods—GRAZEFEST ALABAMA 2004.

The two-day event will bring together leading experts on all aspects of raising high-quality beef, poultry and pork on grass and is expected to draw possibly thousands of regional residents interested in sampling grass-fed foods. Day one of GRAZEFEST ALABAMA 2004 will consist of educational seminars and presentations aimed at pasture-based farmers and related professionals. Day two is a food festival and series of exhibits aimed at raising awareness among consumers of the health, flavor, and culinary benefits of pasture-based foods. The event is being organized by the U.S. Grass Fed Society, a new nonprofit formed by Gentry and other leaders in pasture-based farming, including Allan Nation, owner and editor of the Stockman Grass Farmer, the nation’s foremost “grass” publication.

According to a growing number of experts, not only are grass-fed and pasture-raised foods packed with more health benefits than their conventionally grown and raised counterparts, they are praised by environmentalists, preferred by animal welfare groups, and embraced by chefs. Called “the one bright spot in American agriculture today” by Terry Gombert of the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, grass-based farming is gaining momentum among experts and consumers alike. Pasture-raised animals spend their lives eating grasses and natural forage products, an important distinction from conventionally raised animals, which spend their lives in feedlots or poultry ‘factories’ eating grains. “In fact,” says Gentry, “it is the consumption of grains, antibiotics and hormones that creates the very problems and negative image that have been associated with raising and consuming beef, chicken, pork, and dairy products.” GRAZEFEST Advisory team member Jo Robinson, noted journalist and the author of Pasture Perfect, and GRAZEFEST ALABAMA 2004 presenter, has found that pasture-based animals have higher levels of omega-3s, one of the “good fats” that have been linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, ADHD, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, obesity, asthma, and autoimmune diseases.

For more information about GRAZEFEST ALABAMA 2004, or to arrange for interviews with Teddy Gentry or members of the GRAZEFEST Advisory Team, please contact Eating Fresh Publications directly at 609-466-1700 or via e-mail at grazefest@eatingfresh.com.