Organic Prairie Frequently Asked Questions

Organic Prairie® Uncured Hot Dogs

What are Organic Prairie uncured hot dogs?

Organic Prairie Hot Dogs, with delicious kid-approved taste, are pre-cooked, link-shaped, skinless sausages made in four varieties—organic beef, classic—a mixture of organic beef and pork, organic chicken, and organic turkey. The beef, pork, chicken and turkey in our hot dogs is produced by cooperative family farmers. Only meat from muscle cuts—no organ or variety meats—go into our hot dogs. Our hot dogs are made according to an old family recipe, and seasoned with turbinado sugar, sea salt, paprika, and other organic spices. They are sized to fit a smaller hand's grasp, and are tender and juicy without any of the tough "snap" found in casings-on hot dogs popular with adult palates. The hot dogs are smoked in an old world smokehouse over a bed of blended oak, hickory, and ash coals.

What makes Organic Prairie's beef, pork, chicken, and turkey organic?

Healthful, wholesome, and humane Organic Prairie fresh and frozen organic beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are produced by cooperative family farmers working in harmony with nature.

• Our farmer-owned cooperative has been producing organic meats since 1997, according to practices and meet and often exceed USDA's National Organic Standards www.ams.usda.gov/nop, giving us confidence in saying we represent the gold-standard in organic meat production.
• Our certified organic farms are annually inspected by independent third party agencies.
• Organic Prairie farmers never use antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or synthetic pesticides in production. For beef cattle and hogs, this is from the last third of gestation. For chickens and turkeys, this starts with day-old chicks.
• Organic Prairie beef production is pasture-based, and our animals receive only 100% certified organic feed and pasture, never rendered animal by-products.
• Our certified feed and pasture are grown on land not treated with synthetic fertilizers or pesticides for a minimum of three years.
• Pasturing our cattle provides better quality of life for the animal, superior animal health, and greater nutritive value in food derived from the animal, and it enriches soil from which the most nutritious pasture and forage is grown.
• Organic animals and are never confined and have regular access to the outdoors. Organic hogs are bedded in organic straw with plenty of room to move around and express their natural behaviors, and organic birds are allowed to express natural behaviors such as scratching and hunting for bugs.
• We prohibit the use of cloned livestock in our herds and flocks. Our animals are fed only certified organic feed and no genetically modified organisms (GMO's).
• All spices and ingredients used in our products are approved for organic processing by the USDA's National Organic Program and certified organic whenever possible.

What is the difference between "organic," "natural," and "grass-fed" meat?

It is a common misconception that "natural" or "grass-fed" meat is the same thing as "organic" meat. This is not the case. Significant differences exist between the three. Certified organic farms are required to follow strict standards from the USDA's National Organic Standards and are inspected by an independent third party each year for compliance. The organic certification process is the "guarantee" to consumers these rules are being followed. Additionally, our cooperative inspects the farms of our members for compliance with our pasturing requirements which exceed USDA standards.

What is the difference between "organic," "natural," and "free-range" poultry?

It is a common misconception that "natural" or "free-range" poultry is the same thing as "organic" poultry. This is not the case. Significant differences exist among the three. Certified organic farms are required to follow the strict standards of USDA's National Organic Program. The organic certification process is the "guarantee" to consumers these rules are being followed. There are no such standards or inspections for natural, pastured, and conventional poultry.

Is organic meat safe?

Organic meat is the safest choice because it comes from healthy animals raised on healthy land.

• Our regularly audited practices lead to superior health and living conditions for our organic animals, a primary component in food safety.
• All Organic Prairie meats are processed at federally inspected plants which are certified for organic production by a third party organic certifier accredited by the National Organic Program of the USDA.
• We visit and audit all plants regularly to ensure they meet our strict quality standards, and in addition, each plant undergoes an annual third party audit for Animal Welfare and Good Manufacturing Processes to ensure a safe and humane processing environment.
• Each lot of our product undergoes rigorous microbial testing far beyond that required by the USDA before shipping to ensure it meets our own quality standards.
• Each unit of Organic Prairie meat is traceable back to a lot. Each lot is traceable back to the farms of origin, and the Farm Plan required by the National Organic Program allows the specific animals included in the lot to be identified and traced back to birth.

What are the health benefits of eating Organic Prairie's organic meat?

• Eating organic meat is an excellent way to minimize risk of exposure to antibiotics, synthetic hormones and pesticides, as well as the harmful bacteria that are more likely to be found in meat produced in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO's).
• Beef, pork, chicken and turkey are excellent sources of protein.
• Beef is a good source of iron, zinc, selenium, and B-complex vitamins.
• People who eat beef regularly are more likely to meet 100% of the RDA for protein, iron, zinc, and B-vitamins. (USDA CSFII 1994-96 ).
• Stearic acid, a unique saturated fatty acid, is found in beef. Research in humans and animals suggests it has either a neutral or cholesterol-lowering effect, in contrast to other saturated fatty acids found in meat.
• Pork provides six essential vitamins: Thiamin, 65% RDA, Riboflavin, 22% RDA, Niacin, 47% RDA, Vitamin B6, 24% RDA, Vitamin B12, 38% RDA, and Pantothenate, 10% RDA, and four important minerals: Phosphorous, 22% RDA, Magnesium, 10% RDA, Iron, 9% RDA, and Zinc, 36% RDA

• Organic chicken and turkey are good sources of selenium, zinc, niacin, Vitamin E, betacarotene, and Vitamins B6 and B12.

• Meat products from chickens allowed access to the outdoors has 21% less total fat, 30% less saturated fat, 28% fewer calories, 50% more vitamin A, and 100% more omega-3 fatty acid than from chickens not allowed outdoor access (USDA Sustainable Agriculture & Research Education Program).

For more information on the benefits of eating organic meats, see the Health & Nutrition Links in the Resource section at www.organicvalley.coop.

How does Organic Prairie manage animal health?

The foundation of Organic Prairie's organic livestock production is maintaining strong, healthy animals with low stress and robust immune systems. Our animals are raised and our meats are produced without use of antibiotics, and synthetic hormones or pesticides. Our farmers practice preventative medicine and natural remedies so that antibiotics and hormones are not needed in the first place. Further, we have within our cooperative some of the nation's foremost experts in holistic animal husbandry, and traditional and organic veterinary medicine, who we offer to our farmer members as a resource.

What are good uses for Organic Prairie's uncured hot dogs?

Organic Prairie created our organic hot dogs to meet the demand of families for a safe, convenient, and delicious family food. Hot dogs are perfect for summer grilling, and as additions to casseroles and other quick, easy meals. Hot dogs are a classic at the ballpark, and a favorite of kids and adults alike.

What varieties of Organic Prairie uncured hot dogs are available?

• Beef Hot Dogs, Fresh, 12 oz.
• Beef Hot Dogs, Frozen, 10.5 oz.
• Classic Hot Dogs, Fresh, 12 oz.
• Chicken Hot Dogs, Frozen, 10.5 oz.
• Chicken Hot Dogs, Fresh, 12 oz.
• Turkey Hot Dogs, Fresh, 12 oz.

Why are our hot dogs described as "uncured?"

USDA' definition of "cured" meats are those to which synthetic nitrates and nitrites have been added in the form of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. When those synthetic nitrates and nitrites are not used, the meat must be labeled "uncured."

Organic Prairie Uncured Hot Dogs are "cured," but with a curing process that uses the nitrates naturally present in celery juice (and many other vegetables), a lactic acid starter culture, and salt. During the old-fashioned process of wood-smoking, the naturally occurring nitrates in the celery juice are converted to nitrites through a lactic acid fermentation process.

Nitrites, naturally occurring or synthetic, serve a vital public health function of blocking the growth of dangerous bacteria in processed meats, and give "cured" meats their characteristic color and flavor.

What does the "freeze by" date mean?

The "freeze by" date is the date by which it is safe to freeze a fresh meat product for later use. Thawed meat should be cooked and eaten immediately.

Is all of our organic beef produced in the United States?

Organic Prairie Family of Farms sources all of our organic beef from family farmers and cooperatives producing in compliance with the USDA Organic Standards, both domestically and internationally. Our primary goal is to grow our domestic organic beef program to meet increasing demand, but in the interim we are working with like-minded partners in Canada and Australia to meet consumer demand for the products.

We care for the earth while bringing you the highest quality food