ASHERN, Man. – When ranchers in Manitoba’s Interlake started marketing their own brand of beef three years ago, they didn’t anticipate one problem.
“We’ve got more market than we’ve got cattle,” said Ed Chrisp, chair of the Gourmet’s Table Co-op Ltd. “Our packer wants 800 head and we’ve only got about 200.”
The co-operative’s nine members are countering national consumption trends away from beef by guaranteeing quality meat that is both tender and lean.
Beef selected for Gourmet’s Table must grade A1 with double A marbling under Canada’s new grading system. It is then aged and processed by Interlake Packers Ltd. for sale through five local retail outlets.
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“We haven’t even been able to supply that market. We’ve even got people waiting.”
Chrisp said the idea grew from a local Community Futures think-tank, a provincial program in which community leaders are encouraged to come up with economic development ideas.
“When you think of our strengths and weaknesses … we’ve got the beef here, we’ve got a killing plant, and there’s potential to set up a feedlot,” said Chrisp.
Farmers who want to market cattle through the co-operative place feeder cattle weighing 600 pounds (272 kilograms) or more on feed at a local bull test station. When finished, the animals are slaughtered and the producer is paid according to grade. Only those carcasses making the co-op’s standard are aged and marketed as Gourmet’s Table product.
Although consumers are gobbling up the idea, so far producers have been slow to adopt it. That’s because at this stage, there are few tangible benefits.They don’t get paid extra for producing for Gourmet’s Table and they wait longer for their money because they maintain ownership of the cattle until slaughter.
That’s hard to do at a time when feeder calf prices are topping $1.30 a pound ($2.60 per kg). Unprecedented volumes of feeder cattle are leaving the province for feeding and slaughter in other parts of Canada and the United States.
“We are so used to selling our calves off,” said Chrisp. “And somebody else gets the jobs. If we want to keep our kids at home, we have to create things to keep them at home.”
Why belong?
Members of the co-op say there are other reasons for farmers to consider finishing and marketing at least some of their cattle near home. Participating producers receive feedback on how their animals performed on the rail – something they don’t get if their calves are sold through an auction mart to a feedlot. Over time, that feedback could prompt changes in their breeding program so that a higher proportion of their cattle bring top dollar.
Co-op members also believe their brand-name beef will eventually sell for a premium over regular retail cuts because of its consistent quality.
“Right now there may not be a great benefit to the producer because of the calf prices,” said Ray Duncan, an Eriksdale farmer and one of the founding members of the co-operative.
“But what happens the day calves drop under a dollar? This gives them another option they can rely on.”
Duncan said he didn’t join because it promised short-term gains; he joined because he liked the concept.
“It’s co-operation amongst producers and I believe in that philosophy.”
