KENOSEE LAKE, Sask. – Gene Kessler cut his annual $7,500 veterinary bill by switching to organic beef production.
“My only vet bill now is tags,” the producer from Pangman, Sask., told National Farmers Union members at their recent provincial convention.
The increasing demand and higher prices offered for organic beef have convinced others to take the same route.
About 50 producers are members of Saskatchewan Organic Livestock (SOL), a co-operative working to promote and market organic meat.
Kessler, vice-president of SOL, said within two or three years the group hopes to supply a mainstream grocer, for example, Federated Co-operatives Ltd.
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SOL expects to finalize an agreement with a distributor next month.
Kessler said the consumer attitude has changed and people are starting to ask for organic meat in their regular grocery stores, not just at health food or specialty stores.
SOL was formed late last year to reach those larger markets. Producers are too busy to do this themselves, Kessler said, and many don’t even have time to go to farmers’ markets anymore.
Many of the approximately 1,200 organic farmers in Saskatchewan also have some type of livestock that could be certified. Kessler said the co-op welcomes more members to help share the workload and reap the benefits.
An American buyer purchased 1,800 head of Canadian organic cattle this year and Kessler said that’s obviously more than one producer can supply. Most were shipped live but some did move as boxed beef.
Organic plant
As the market grows, slaughter capacity is critical to satisfying that demand. Natural Valley at Neudorf, Sask., has done some slaughter of organic beef. Kessler told the meeting that the Western Prime plant at Weyburn, Sask., is close to having its federal status.
SOL is also keeping its collective eye on the proposed Nesco facility at Melfort, Sask., which intends to offer organic slaughter. That would be an ideal fit with Thomson Meats, the province’s toll processing plant in Melfort, where organic beef can be processed and packaged.
SOL recently obtained a grant that will help members do some experimental processing at the Saskatchewan Food Development Centre.
Kessler said organic beef retails at about 30 percent more than conventional beef. Still, there is a waiting list for organic meat in Ontario.
“We definitely need the federal plant here,” he said.
There is already an organic feeding station at LeRoy, Sask., that can accommodate 1,000 head.
Nettie Wiebe, former NFU national president and an organic beef producer, said one hurdle she encountered was pasturing cattle near farmers who spray. Buffer zones and electric fences are required to maintain organic status of the cattle.
Kessler agreed.
It’s also a challenge to fence 43 kilometres when you can’t use treated fence posts, said Kessler. Steel posts can bend when cattle lean on them and recycled plastic posts contain chemicals. Cedar is an acceptable choice but posts have to be put in by hand and that’s impractical for large pastures.
He said SOL is meeting with certifiers to look at regional differences and how to accommodate large grazing areas.
