Sounds like you’ve been reading the liberal take on farm production... Have you ever worked or lived on a farm? Or visited? Or anything?
There is a difference in taste and quality when comparing meat from modern, large scale production vs meat produced from traditional, small scale raised livestock.
I live IN the country, on 40 acres, with 3 beef farms right next to me. I pick my beef from another farmer though who lives in the county north of me. He raises the highest grade Angus and provides the best service. I hire a butcher in the same county to kill and process the animal. I split the whole cow with my son. we each take a half.
This is very legal and the Beef is handled and covered by state meat inspection laws. The farmer has every right to sell his cows to what ever market he chooses. Finding one only requires getting to know them. This is in and of itself, the very best way to buy meat. This way you have absolute control over what you buy as well as save huge amounts of money in the process. Not to mention the impeccable quality.
By the way, this is a regular practice for rural people. You know, people who actually live in the country? People like me who have done so all my life. (And yes, I have also worked on farms ever since I was old enough to stack hay.)