Updated October 18, 2026
Meat packages are covered in words and seals. Some are official grades, some are claims that need paperwork behind them, and some are certifications from outside groups. Here is a quick guide to the ones you will see most.
USDA beef grades: Prime, Choice and Select
USDA beef grades are set by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and describe expected eating quality, such as tenderness, juiciness and flavor. They are not a measure of safety or healthfulness. Grades are based on the animal's age and on marbling, the fine streaks of fat within the lean meat.
- Prime comes from young, well-fed beef cattle and has the most marbling. It is often sold in restaurants.
- Choice is high quality with less marbling than Prime.
- Select is leaner and fairly tender, but may be less juicy and flavorful than the higher grades.
Lower grades, Standard and Commercial, are often sold as ungraded or store-brand beef. Grading is a voluntary service that companies request and pay for. It is separate from mandatory safety inspection, which is shown by the round USDA mark of inspection on federally inspected packaged meat. State-inspected meat carries a state mark instead, and some exempt products, such as meat custom-processed for an animal's owner, carry no inspection mark.
Grass-fed
FSIS updated its guidance on animal-raising claims in August 2024 (FSIS-GD-2024-0006). Under it, "grass fed," "grass-fed" and "100% grass-fed" mean the same thing: cattle that ate only forage, such as grass, legumes, hay and silage, after weaning. They were not fed grain or grain by-products, were never confined to a feedlot, and had continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Routine vitamin and mineral supplements are allowed.
Grass-fed claims are used for grazing animals (ruminants) such as cattle, sheep and goats. FSIS's detailed grass-fed definition is written for cattle. For other animals, FSIS's general rule for diet claims applies: unless the label is qualified, the animal ate only the claimed diet for its whole life, apart from milk before weaning.
Partial claims are different. If the animals also ate grain, the label has to say so, for example "made from cattle fed grass and corn." "Grass finished" is not the same as grass-fed, and grass-finished cattle may have been fed grain. FSIS reviews the producer's documentation before approving a grass-fed claim, but it doesn't inspect farms, so it strongly encourages third-party certification. When a claim is certified, the label must show the certifier's name and website.
Organic
The USDA organic seal can only be used on products certified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent. A product labeled "organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients (not counting salt and water). Very small farms selling less than $5,000 a year in organic products may follow the rules without being certified, but they cannot use the USDA organic seal.
Natural
On meat and poultry, "natural" means no artificial ingredients or added color, and only minimal processing. The label must explain what "natural" means, for example "no artificial ingredients; minimally processed." It describes processing, not how the animal was raised.
Kosher and halal
According to FSIS, "kosher" may only be used on meat and poultry prepared under rabbinical supervision. Products from federally inspected plants labeled "halal" or "zabiah halal" must be handled according to Islamic law and under Islamic authority. USDA does not certify that a product is kosher or halal. Religious oversight and certification come from religious authorities and certifying organizations, separate from government inspection. FSIS's role is to make sure the label claim is truthful: for a "certified kosher" or "certified halal" claim, the company must have a current certificate and the label must name the certifier or its website. To see who certified a product, look for the certifying organization's name or symbol on the package, or ask the seller.
Two more claims you may see
Federal rules do not allow hormones in raising hogs or poultry, so a "no hormones added" claim on pork or chicken must be followed by the statement "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones." On beef, "no hormones administered" requires the producer to give FSIS documentation.
Sources
- USDA AMS: Beef Grading Shields
- Clemson Cooperative Extension (Land-Grant Press): A Guide to Buying Local Beef
- USDA FSIS Guideline FSIS-GD-2024-0006: Substantiating Animal-Raising or Environment-Related Labeling Claims
- USDA FSIS Notice 28-24: Updated Guideline on Animal-Raising Claims (August 2024)
- UConn Extension: What do Labels Really Mean? Organic, Natural, Cage-Free, Grass-Fed, Pasture-Raised and Local
- USDA AMS: Labeling Organic Products
- USDA FSIS: Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
- USDA FSIS Constituent Update, June 5, 2020: labels with "Certified Kosher" or "Certified Halal" claims
- USDA FSIS: State Cooperative Inspection Programs
Sources checked October 2026.