“Grass-fed cows can’t produce marbled delicious tender meat because they eat salad, it’s not possible.”

This is a statement that has been heard multiple times when it comes to talking about grass-fed beef. The founders of First Light set out to change this sentiment. First Light’s origins began in New Zealand, where raising cattle on a pasture, eating 100% grass is just the norm, it is how New Zealander’s farm. Regenerative farming for New Zealand farmers is not anything new or revolutionary, it is how farming has always worked in New Zealand. Mixed with regenerative farming principles, young fertile soils, and the right amount of sunshine and rain, New Zealand grows arguably the best, most nutrient dense grass in the world. That is the first part of the equation in growing great grass. It is certainly not just salad leaves.

The second part of the equation is genetics. When the First Light founders decided they wanted to produce the most beautiful meat in the world they needed to find the best beef genetics. For forever, Kobe beef in Japan has been revered as the best when it comes to beef. There is a lot of confusion between Kobe and Wagyu. Essentially Kobe is Wagyu beef, but the word ‘Kobe’ refers to Wagyu beef that has come from Kobe, Japan. The tradition with Kobe or Wagyu beef is; the cattle are raised in pens to reduce movement and fed a very high grain diet to fatten them up.

What makes Wagyu beef so sought after is it has distinct marbling, which means that the meat has webs of fat that easily melt when heated. It is these deposits of fat that make the beef so tender and give it that “melt in your mouth” quality.

When the founders of First Light decided they were going to farm Wagyu cattle but do it on grass, they were told it could not be done. Wagyu cows had never been raised on grass before. What First Light did is cross Wagyu genetics with New Zealand cows. This has resulted in a cow that has the marbling and fat genetics of Wagyu but the genetics of a cow that has had generations of eating grass. The benefit is a cow that can thrive on open pastures eating a 100% grass-fed diet but with the genetics of Wagyu, which allows for delicious tender meat every single time. First Light is made up of a co-op of family-owned farms that are dedicated to producing the most beautiful beef the right way. Certified Humane, Non GMO, 100% grass-fed, no antibiotics or hormones ever. It is clean healthy beef that tastes so good. And that is why Forbes USA claimed First Light Beef to be the best in the world.

Find First Light beef at your local Mother’s.