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BRIDGEWATER, NJ – Applegate Farms, LLC, the country’s leading natural and organic meat brand, today announced the launch of the DO GOOD DOG ™ Hot Dog, the first nationally available hot dog made from beef grown on verified regenerative sources US grasslands being grown. Beef for the DO GOOD DOG ™ hot dog comes from the SunFed Ranch® in Northern California and has the Savory Institute’s Land-to-Market Seal of Approval, the world’s first evidence of renewable sourcing.
The DO GOOD DOG ™ Hot Dog is Applegate’s latest development of the humble hot dog and an integral part of the company’s mission: Change The Meat We Eat®. Applegate reinvented the hot dog more than 15 years ago with APPLEGATE ORGANICS® THE GREAT ORGANIC HOT DOG ™ hot dog, which is made from just four simple ingredients, 100% pasture cattle, water, salt and spices. With the introduction of the DO GOOD DOG ™ hot dog, the company has the bold ambition to lead regenerative agriculture from niche to norm.
Up until now, regeneratively produced beef was mostly available at farmers’ markets or upscale restaurants. Applegate’s size and experience in scaling specialized supply chains in the meat category aims to make regenerative agriculture known and accessible to the mass market. According to the Savory Institute, the cattle that provide the beef for the DO GOOD DOG ™ hot dog are part of a system that is helping regenerate up to 260,000 acres of US grassland, making it one of the largest verified systems for regenerative beef.
“It is fashionable to argue that the only way to fight climate change is to eliminate meat. In fact, the opposite is true, ”said John Ghingo, Applegate president. “Animals play a vital role in restoring soil health, sequestering carbon and protecting the land from drought, forest fires, erosion and other devastating effects of climate change. Our mission is to scale regenerative practices across small farms and niche markets. This is the only way to achieve a sufficiently large effect. “
With two in three adults in the US saying they eat meat frequently1 and cattle are constantly in the spotlight for their negative impact on the environment, there is a need to change the way meat is produced to both meet demand also to improve the planet. Applegate starts with beef, where the evidence of beneficial effects on animals is most evident, but the company is also working to develop evidence-based regenerative practices for non-grazing animals and plans to expand its regenerative product line to include pork and poultry.
Applegate’s commitment to supporting and marketing regenerative beef has helped SunFed Ranch double its grass-fed cattle production, said Matt Byrne, co-founder of SunFed Ranch. SunFed Ranch, which farms more than 1.5 million acres of US grassland both directly and through its ranching partners, is committed to being 100% carbon neutral and 100% carbon neutral from production to product by 2024 on all operations on the ranch To be fully CO2 negative by 2024 by the end of 2027.
“We are excited to partner with Applegate in a leadership position to bring regenerative, 100% grass-fed beef that is better for the planet and healthier for families, more widely available,” said Byrne. “Applegate’s involvement expedites our joint mission to remove the beef industry from the commodity-based corn-based feedlot system while we continue to expand one of the largest grazing cattle facilities in the country. We are proud to partner with Applegate on this innovative product and to support the regeneration of the land that we fortunately have in our care. “
Applegate’s contribution to grassland and healthy soil regeneration in the United States is measured by the Savory Institute, a pioneer in regenerative agriculture. Baseline measurements on soil health, biodiversity, water retention and other ecosystem services were carried out in spring 2021 and are reviewed annually to assess progress. This is a hallmark of the Land to Market seal, which does not set standards but measures results to ensure that a ranch is continually improving the land.
“While land-to-market reviews outcomes rather than practices, we find that those who implement holistic management and plan grazing are doubling their chances of improving land health. We strongly believe in the old adage that what is measured is managed and that measurement is actually a function of optimization, ”said Chris Kerston, chief commercial officer of the Land to Market program at the Savory Institute. “By working closely with SunFed Ranch and Applegate, we can quantify environmental improvements and ranchers can optimize their management to continually maximize these results. This approach has the adaptability and scalability to drive the entire global meat industry. “
The new DO GOOD DOG ™ Hot Dog is available now at select major retailers and on Amazon at an MSRP of $ 6.99. It’s gluten-free, a good source of protein2, and has no added sugar. For more information, please visit www.applegate.com or on social media at www.facebook.com/applegate or twitter.com/Applegate.
About Applegate Farms
Applegate Farms, LLC was founded in 1987 and produces high quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, charcuterie, cheese and frozen products. Our products are made without GMO ingredients and we source them from farms where animals are treated with care and respect and are allowed to grow at their natural rate, all part of our mission – Changing The Meat We Eat®. Of course, it can mean a lot, but for Applegate, of course, our food means:
- From animals that Applegate raised in a species-appropriate manner without antibiotics, added hormones or growth promoters
- From animals that were fed a vegetarian or pasture-oriented diet (our beef is fed 100 percent on grass)
- Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates
- Free from artificial ingredients or preservatives
Applegate became an independent subsidiary of Hormel Foods in July 2015. For more information about our products, please visit www.applegate.com or speak to us at www.facebook.com/applegate or twitter.com/Applegate.
About SunFed Ranch®
Northern California-based SunFed Ranch is run by 6th generation ranchers® is a pioneer in the rearing and production of 100% grass-fed beef, which relies on regenerative agriculture, humane treatment of cattle and without antibiotics or added hormones. We offer a full selection of beefs that taste better, better for the consumer and better for the planet. SunFed Ranch is the West Coast’s best-selling grass-fed beef brand, expanding its availability nationally through select retailers and high-profile regional chains, as well as partnerships with pioneering CPG brands. Visit www.SunFedRanch.com to see why and how SunFed Ranch is leading the grass feeding revolution
Via land to market
As a leader in the regenerative farming movement, Land to Market is the world’s first results-based verified regenerative sourcing solution. The program’s Land to Market Verified seal has attracted some of the world’s leading consumer goods manufacturers, apparel brands and retailers. Land to Market was born at the Savory Institute and uses a science-based approach that works directly with raw material producers to improve transparency and traceability mechanisms along the entire value chain. The full list of land-to-market members can be found at http://landtomarket.com.
1DeKoster, JMC and S. (2021, August 20). Almost one in four people in the US has cut meat consumption. Gallup.com. Retrieved September 29, 2021 from https://news.gallup.com/poll/282779/nearly-one-four-cut-back-eating-meat.aspx.
2See nutritional information for fat and sodium content.
