The food chain is far more complicated for meat than it is for vegetables. The cow you see grazing on a hillside along I-5 may just be passing through on its journey from calf to steak. And exactly where that cow does end up, you’ll likely never know, since California and most other states don’t require origin labels for beef. Below, the hypothetical yet entirely probable voyage of one American cow on its long, strange—and, as far as the environment is concerned, completely absurd—trip to your fork.

Hawaii
Our hero—70 pounds of adorable calf—is born in autumn on the island of Hawaii. —>

Pacific Ocean
An estimated 87% of Hawaiian calves leave the island shortly after being weaned. At 40 cents a pound, it costs $160 to float our six-month-old calf to California. —>

Port of Oakland
Here, our calf is purchased by ranchers or cattle brokers looking to convert California grass into financially remunerative beef poundage. In December, the Central Coast has more grass than it knows what to do with, so our steer is bound for those verdant fields. —>

Northern California
By May, the Central Coast is drying up. Our beefed-up bruiser is trucked 250 miles back to Northern California. Some of its companions will go on to graze in Wyoming or Kansas. —>

Texas feedlot
Once our steer reaches about this size, its owner scrutinizes the market. Sell to a feedlot, or pas­ture it for a little longer and sell it as grass-fed? Two years of grass-withering drought in California mean that our steer is feedlot-bound. —>

Fort Worth slaughterhouse
After slaughter, only about 440 lbs. of the cow comprise saleable cuts of meat. These will become carne asada in Mexico, shabu shabu in Japan, and flank steak at the Marina Safeway.

Total distance traveled from Hawaii to Fort Worth to the Marina? 6,197 miles.