So much emphasis has been put on choosing grass-fed beef that it’s left many people wondering what about pork and poultry? When you look at factory farms, it could easily put you off to eating meat for good. However, human beings are omnivores by design. If you plan to eat meat from beef and lamb to pork and poultry, you should make your choice free-range.

Here is why free-range matters:

1. No additives

Farms that focus on raising animals free-range don’t force antibiotics on the animals, nor do they add hormones. There are no GMOs and the animal eat organic feed. By feeding them well and treating them right, free-range farms are giving you a better quality of meat that you can taste in every bite.

2. Less risk for contamination

Did you see the latest recalls on meat across the country? Confined animals are subject to cruel and unsanitary conditions. They’re a commodity and are shoved into small spaces, packed tightly together. This leaves them more susceptible to bacteria and viruses which can cause an outbreak and a recall.

3. They’re treated ethically

Animals on factory farms are treated horribly. Free-range animals get to move around as they would in the wild. Why does that matter? In addition to it being humane, the animals get to eat the things they would normally eat by naturally grazing. This includes bugs and grubs, which means they are better nourished, resulting in better quality pork and poultry for you.

4. Waste and pollution are reduced

With the recent flooding in North Carolina from Hurricane Florence, one of the biggest problems was the manure pools. Industrial farms create so much manure which is a huge risk to everyone’s health even when there aren’t floods to spread the contamination further. With small farms, manure isn’t an issue because it’s used to fertilize the soil. With big farms, there’s so much excrement, there’s nowhere for it to go.

5. Free-range is more nutritious

Pork and poultry that is free-range raised has a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals and contains less saturated fat. When you choose free-range meats, you’re choosing better health for yourself.

6. Better biodiversity

Did you know there are many different species of chickens and pigs? Sustainable free-range farms raise a wider variety of types of livestock as opposed to industrial farms. With more variety comes more biodiversity, and that leads to breeding for a natural way to resist disease.

Whenever possible, go for free-range pork and poultry (beef too!) that has come from a local source. This ensures you get the freshest food plus it boosts your local economy every time you make free-range pork or poultry the center of your dinner table.