Panorama Debuts Grass-Fed Organic Beef at Northwest and California Whole Foods Markets

Vina, Calif., May 18, 2006 — Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Beef™ has made its debut in the fresh meat cases of three Whole Foods Markets in Seattle and Portland, and will gradually be introduced at 19 Whole Foods Markets in Northern California during the next two months.

Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Beef is produced in Northern California by Western Grasslands, Inc., a group of family ranchers who raise Black and Red Angus cattle on natural grasses, legumes and range forage. Western Grasslands also produces a non-organic product, Panorama Natural Grass-Fed Beef™, which is sold to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the western United States.

By raising only Angus-breed cattle, following strict grass-feeding regimens and humane protocols, and processing the cattle at 14 to 18 months of age, the company is able to offer one of the most flavorful and tender grass-fed beefs in the country.

Certified organic by the USDA-accredited certifying agency California Certified Organic Farmers, Panorama’s organic cattle graze on pastures that are verified to have been untreated with synthetic pesticides for at least the preceding three years and are processed in plants that are certified organic. They are never implanted with hormones, fed animal by-products or treated with antibiotics. All Panorama cattle are raised in compliance with the Born and Raised in the USA® verification program.

In addition to controlling its genetics, Panorama feeds its cattle a certified-organic, grain-free forage ration in the final 60 to 90 days, a practice that supplies roughage, enables the cattle to be raised year-around, and enhances the flavor and tenderness of the final product.

Ranchers who raise Panorama cattle treat their animals humanely in low-stress environments and employ pasture-rotation and land-management practices that promote animal health and protect delicate rangeland ecosystems. Their ranching and animal-handling practices are verified through regular third-party audits by Western Ranchers Beef Cooperative, an association that promotes sustainable ranching practices.

Panorama products are distributed by Sierra Meat Company, a full-line distributor of fresh meats based in Reno, Nev., Santa Clara, Calif., and Carmel, Calif., and other distributors in California and Washington.