We have been raising natural beef here for 3 generations, but have never tried to tap into the organic beef market. Seems we might be leaving some money on the table here. Can anyone point me in the right direction? We give our calves an 8 way/blackleg vaccination at spring branding, and nothing else. They are raised on grass, and fed hay from right here on the place that is raised with no chemicals (pesticides, herbicides) whatsoever. Does this fit the definition of organic? Any advice is appreciated.
Marketing Organic Beef
- Thread starter grubbie
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I'm attempting to do the same as you.
Pasture with no herbicide, pesticide or fertilizer for three years is a requirement.
Feed certified organic. Hay certified organic.
Slaughter house certified organic.
All tough here in south Florida.
Good luck to ya.
Pasture with no herbicide, pesticide or fertilizer for three years is a requirement.
Feed certified organic. Hay certified organic.
Slaughter house certified organic.
All tough here in south Florida.
Good luck to ya.
Here are a couple places to look around:
http://www.eatwild.com/ to post your farm info: http://www.eatwild.com/request.html
then this is the website for USDA Community Supported Ag lots of info and other links here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
http://www.eatwild.com/ to post your farm info: http://www.eatwild.com/request.html
then this is the website for USDA Community Supported Ag lots of info and other links here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
Outrigger2
Well-known member
if it doesn't qualify organic, it will for grass fed. organic is a little tricky from my understanding.
http://www.americangrassfed.org/
http://www.americangrassfed.org/
grannysoo
Well-known member
Organic is going to be tough for you. I looked at that and it is do-able, but tough. In my opinion, grass fed is going to be the way to go. That's what I'm doing.
Where might I find the rules concerning organic? I've done a lot of searching but have yet to find anything official. I will continue the search but if anyone can save me a little time I'd appreciate it if you could pass it on.
Found this off of Hippie Rancher's link above.
http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/i ... _default=0
http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/i ... _default=0
preston39
Well-known member
Everything you need to know.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/liv ... rkbook.pdf
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/liv ... rkbook.pdf
OhioRiver
Well-known member
what does a packer or butcher charge at the slaughterhouse to pack your angus meet at the time of slaughter
Outrigger2":3vbg2c2h said:
rouxshortorn
Well-known member
Good luck going Organic ,have alot of farms converting around here and selling well.
dcara
Well-known member
Here's a few links to the Natioanl Organic Program and standards
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standar ... ndreg.html
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/Organic/
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standar ... ndreg.html
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/Organic/
USDA hijacked the word "organic." If you use it without their permission, they fine you $10,000.
Well.. Unless you're Wal-Mart, but that's a whole different issue.
Anyway, the word "organic" is basically reserved at this point for "farmers" who can buy enough lawyers to get them through the paperwork, and those type folks have basically tailored the requirements to fit their needs.. For instance, it's perfectly cool to keep a chicken in a 1x1 coop and feed it up to 20% non-organics, but still call the eggs "organic." That's meaningless to the core "organic" crowd who wants eggs from a chicken that actually did what chickens were put on this earth to do -- run around and scratch in the dirt and eat grass and bugs and stuff.
"Local" is the new "organic." If you want to take a little more of that money off the table and put it in your pocket, sell your beef locally -- and be up-front about how you raise your animals.. Most "organic" minded people will want you to have vaccinated and given antibiotics to sick animals, because that's part of being a responsible and compassionate master to one's herd.. They just don't want you vaccinating directly before before slaughter or feeding an maintenance-oriented, antibiotic-infused, 100%-grain diet in a dry lot that's shoulder to shoulder with steers..
Basically, let the animals do what they were put here to do, take good care of them, and offer them up just as they are..
Well.. Unless you're Wal-Mart, but that's a whole different issue.
Anyway, the word "organic" is basically reserved at this point for "farmers" who can buy enough lawyers to get them through the paperwork, and those type folks have basically tailored the requirements to fit their needs.. For instance, it's perfectly cool to keep a chicken in a 1x1 coop and feed it up to 20% non-organics, but still call the eggs "organic." That's meaningless to the core "organic" crowd who wants eggs from a chicken that actually did what chickens were put on this earth to do -- run around and scratch in the dirt and eat grass and bugs and stuff.
"Local" is the new "organic." If you want to take a little more of that money off the table and put it in your pocket, sell your beef locally -- and be up-front about how you raise your animals.. Most "organic" minded people will want you to have vaccinated and given antibiotics to sick animals, because that's part of being a responsible and compassionate master to one's herd.. They just don't want you vaccinating directly before before slaughter or feeding an maintenance-oriented, antibiotic-infused, 100%-grain diet in a dry lot that's shoulder to shoulder with steers..
Basically, let the animals do what they were put here to do, take good care of them, and offer them up just as they are..
