Alex McCoy needed a cheat day, writes Idaho Press reporter Erin Banks Rusby. During his training for the Ironman Triathlon, McCoy had avoided red meat and alcohol. But when cheat day cravings rolled in, he found himself with the opportunity to eat ostrich meat, a red meat with consistency similar to grass-fed beef.

Earlier this month, Geneva Zoltek of Idaho News 6 visited Sustainable Meats, Idaho's newest livestock processing establishment located at American Ostrich Farms in Kuna.  She learned that ostrich is a red meat that's similar to grass-fed beef, with a fraction of the fat content, and a much smaller environmental impact. 

Impact Idaho Fund, a project of the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, has invested in Sustainable Meats south of the Boise Airport near in Kuna. The facility is a subsidiary of American Ostrich Farms, led by Founder and CEO Alex McCoy.

CEO & Founder of American Ostrich Farms, Alex McCoy, gives DeliveryRank the lowdown on Ostrich farming in America, sustainability and the benefits of eating ostrich meat over any other red meat on the market.

In light of the recent Paris Climate Deal, many conscientious consumers are working toward implementing small changes to decrease their carbon footprint. Authorities recommend such steps as taking public transit instead of driving, investing in energy-efficient appliances, and supporting local agriculture, among other tweaks.

When Alexander McCoy, founder and CEO of American Ostrich Farms, first tried ostrich meat, he was training for a full-length Ironman triathlon in South Africa. He was amazed at how much the meat tasted like beef, but what was most surprising was the energy he had after he ate it. After consuming his first ostrich steak, he ran 15 miles and soon fell in love with not just the flavor, but with its low fat, low cholesterol and rich iron properties.