What Does "Beyond Organic" Mean?

Every so often, we receive thoughtful questions from customers who care deeply about what goes into their food. Recently, a customer wrote asking for clarity on our statement that our ranching practices are “beyond organic.” She shared her story of overcoming Graves disease and expressed concern about pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and environmental toxins. These are important questions and ones we’re glad to answer honestly.

First, the Short Answer

No, we do not feed antibiotics or provide added hormones to our animals.

All animals naturally produce hormones, but we do not inject, feed, or supplement with growth hormones or similar products. Our livestock thrive on open pastures, nutrient-dense forages, and a natural diet aligned with how ruminants evolved to eat.

The Bigger Picture: Why We Say “Beyond Organic”

The phrase “beyond organic” was coined by farmer Joel Salatin, known from Food Inc. and Polyface Farms. He used it to highlight a hard truth: the USDA Organic label doesn’t guarantee nutrient-dense, health-promoting food. It only guarantees certain production methods. That’s important, but it doesn’t address the chemistry of the food itself, which is what truly affects your health.

At Slanker’s, we focus on that chemistry. Specifically, the balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids, which impacts inflammation, immunity, and overall well-being. For over two decades, research has found that a lack of Omega-3 can damage the immune system and increase susceptibility to autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

In contrast, grass-fed meats from beef to buffalo, lamb, and poultry provide the ideal fatty acid balance the human body needs. That’s what makes them “beyond organic.” They restore the nutritional integrity lost in modern grain-fed and processed foods.

What About Chemicals and Pesticides?

This is another area full of misunderstandings. Contrary to what some might assume, ranchers do not heavily spray pastures with pesticides. Doing so would be both financially unsustainable and environmentally destructive. In fact, most chemical overuse happens in city yards, not open-range farms.

When agricultural chemicals are used in production agriculture, they are designed to break down quickly and have short half-lives. On the other hand, natural toxins such as mycotoxins from molds and fungi pose a far greater risk to food safety. The CDC reports tens of thousands of illnesses each year from mold and fungal contamination, while poisonings from properly used agricultural chemicals are extremely rare.

So while it’s understandable to worry about chemicals, the real danger is imbalance in diet, immune function, and the microbial environment.

Our Guiding Principle: Nutritional Truth Over Marketing Words

Organic, natural, grass-finished — these labels mean little if the underlying food chemistry isn’t right.

If every food in America were “organic” today, rates of chronic disease would not change. That’s because the true health factor lies in the nutrient profile of the food itself — the Omega balance, the absence of grain distortions, and the integrity of the natural fat and protein composition.

That’s why we’ve stayed committed since 1999 to producing grass-fed, grass-finished meats with verified nutrient balances. You’ll find our science links on the website — real data, not marketing fluff.

The Bottom Line

We could use feel-good labels and vague promises like many in the industry do. But we’d rather be transparent and educate our customers. “Beyond organic” means we go deeper to the science that actually determines health outcomes.

We don’t just sell meat; we offer food that supports life the way nature intended.

Once you understand the difference, you’ll never look at the “organic” label the same way again.