Published:
Estancia Beef Furthers Commitment to Sustainable Grass Fed Beef, Hires Global Authority on Farm Assurance and Production Protocols
SAN FRANCISCO - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Estancia Beef, a leading U.S. retailer of grass-fed beef, today
announced the appointment of Michelle Waterman to spearhead its European
launch. Additionally, Waterman will assume responsibility for Estancia's
farm assurance, production protocols and general codes of practice.
"Michelle is among the very most respected people in her field," said
Bill Reed, Estancia's CEO. "She shares all of our core beliefs around
prioritizing environmental, animal welfare, and human health concerns
within our production standards."
Michelle started as an Animal Health Inspector for the UK government,
which involved enforcement of UK legislation with respect to animal
traceability, welfare and husbandry. She then began a long career with
Tesco, the UK's biggest retailer, and was responsible for the production
and sourcing of all meat, fish and poultry sold by the business.
Michelle wrote and implemented Tesco's Livestock Codes of Practice
(which cover welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental
responsibility).
Under Michelle's guidance, Tesco implemented visionary and rigorous
policies relating to livestock, such as the prohibition of
genetically-modified feed, the banning of all non-stun slaughter
methods, and the creation of "equivalent" standards of production in
countries as far afield as Argentina, Brazil & Uruguay.
"Michelle's experience will lead us toward serious, sustainable
solutions that are not currently part of industrial beef production in
the US," noted JP Thieriot, Estancia's Chairman. "Mad Cow, Ecoli,
superbugs, millions of tons of contaminated effluent, generally
unhealthy beef - these are all industrial feedlot phenomena. These
practices end up giving beef an unnecessary bad name, and generally
perpetuate the unsustainable and maligned system we find with industrial
beef producers. Cattle are probably the most promising source of clean
'big protein' out there. They're also the most important source of
non-hydrocarbon derived fertilizer available. We have to go back to the
integrated and eternally sustainable farm. It would be a three-for-one:
clean, healthy food; less dependence on fossil fuels; more jobs in the
countryside."
Waterman states, "I am delighted to be joining Estancia, a company which
shares my beliefs and views on the way meat should be produced in the
future and in the need for sharing information and reward throughout the
supply chain, from farmer to consumer. My passion is the improvement of
animal welfare, and allowing consumers to make informed choices about
the consequences of their purchases. As the world's population grows,
the way in which animals are farmed will come under growing scrutiny. I
believe the systems Estancia seeks to promote and expand will be one of
the only truly sustainable ways of consuming meat in the future."
Michelle currently lives 35 miles south of London, where she raises beef
cattle, sheep, laying hens and agricultural crops.
About Estancia Beef
With ranches in the United States, Argentina, and Uruguay, Estancia Beef
produces and provides the highest quality grass-fed beef available in
the world. Estancia pledges to serve consumers the best tasting,
healthiest, and most sustainable beef on the market; provide complete
transparency from pasture to plate; and work closely with ranchers and
every step of delivery.
www.estanciabeef.com
SRPR | Shev Rush Public Relations
Shev Rush
760-567-4321
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