Gotta Eat, a Sobering Thought From a Clairvoyant Farmer!

It just started raining on top of a record blanket of snow and its time to start getting together the orders for spring and summer beef. I have been spending a lot of time watching grain and hay prices along with fuel and other inputs. I have looked at all angles on how to control our costs as I read daily the dismal predictions for the cattle industry. We are in the process of ironing out a new protein supplement for the cattle to try to mitigate the skyrocketing corn and soy bean prices. All this to keep the price of local beef affordable in the face of producing a premium all natural beef product.

What really strikes me as odd is that someone actually thought it was a great idea to shift corn, the core grain from our nation's livestock feeding industry, and put it into our gas tank. So now that our fuel has tripled and not going down any time soon what is going to happened to our food price? You can do the math...the cattle feeders and packers have been running in the red for the last year. Every Monday for the conceivable future the grain prices will be reaching unprecedented highs. Something has to give. I predict your food price will double if not triple in the next 12 months.

Don't get me wrong, I am all in favor of sending our fuel addiction to rehab. But somehow I think the intention was not to devastate the price of affordable food. So what does that do for farm fresh and local? Good question. On a good day local farm fresh quality food is more expensive than what you can find on the grocery store shelf. Part of this is due to economies of scale but also premiums for freshness and locally grown. Despite the demand for local I predict in the long run you will see less of this product not more. Odd you may say, but think about this.

With rising prices for fuel, fertilizer, grain, and processing coupled with no economies of scale and a softening economy where does this put the small producer but out of business. What may be a justifiable price based on inputs soon will become unaffordable to all but the most affluent.

I suspect in the long run the corn debacle will result in something more positive such as other non petroleum based fuel solutions , more wind power, and solar power. In the meantime, hold on to your hat and your wallet I think its going to be a wild and expensive ride!

APPLES TO APPLES IS BEST WHEN BUYING LOCAL

My daughters and I just returned from a pilgrimage to the annual New Hampshire Farm and Forest Expo. It was a wonderful experience full of farming lectures and commercial displays. I mostly attended the lectures on food safety and farmer's market strategies. I was most impressed with the newly launched Virtual Farmer's Market site. I predict this will prove to be a very powerful and successful tool to align the consumer and local producer year round. Everyday the site is welcoming yet more and more local farmers of all sorts. With basic skills even the most novice e shopper can navigate the site with ease. Many questions were asked by the audience at the Expo in regards to pricing.This seems to be one of the most difficult topics when shopping for local farm grown items. The producers ask, "what is a fair price?" The consumer asks "what should I pay?"

You should expect to pay the price of what the goods are worth. Well, that sounds less than profound until you really unravel the world of local produce and meats. The producer should be able to track all inputs on spread sheets (or napkins) and estimate what the break even price is. Once this is determined the margin is added and the final price is calculated. From this point the producer must ask the question, does the quality of my product really merit that price or does it still need some work? My beef raising experience started out as an accident. We processed some skinny Holstein steers. The butcher laughed and My mother complained how tough they were. None of my friends who bought them complained but the chainsaw in the kitchen was a dead give away. I raised a free lamb for each person as a peace offering and everyone to this day is a loyal customer. The rub to the story, I charged very little for my beef experiment and everyone cut me a break. Since that time we sell only premium black Angus cross cattle fed to choice professionally. And guess what, you pay a premium. And guess what, its 100% guaranteed!We're always happy to eat our mistakes. The key to producer pricing is honesty. If it needs work, sell it for what it is at a fair price and try to break even. The consumer will judge the product on how it was sold. Be humble and sell what you have for the price its worth.

Now as a buyer, its buyer beware. You must compare apples to apples. If one product is not guaranteed and one is you have to ask yourself why that is. If someone just started and they are the highest in the market, how can that be? Just because its the most expensive does not mean its the best. In fact the larger we get we enjoy the benefits of "economies of scale". This allows us to sell at one of the lowest prices in the market. We offer a buyers check list on our website. I encourage buyers to price me against the competition, but have the check list of what you should ask so you don't get taken. Everything is not the same. In the beef market for instance there are "premiums" you should expect to be charged for if they can be proven. Beef premiums are charged for: local, all natural, no antibiotics, no hormones, no animal byproducts, organic,grass fed, black Angus, and so forth. If they say its all natural, they should be able to prove it, if not don't pay it! On the other hand, it is unfair to expect that much quality to be reduced to standard grocery store prices. Our product is on par with and is priced against other national premium brands. As far as produce there are premiums charged for such things as "certified organic", heirloom vegetables and fruits. Eggs are a great one. I actually am amazed when my bride has me go shopping how expensive the grocery store eggs are and how many options that little cholesterol bomb has to offer. I find the farmer's market eggs a steal for the quality the offer. Shopping with a checklist for eggs can be challenging...They can be organic, free range, cage free pastured and rich in omega 3 fatty acids. I generally glaze over at the farmers market when all that comes up and hope for rain!

Humane Cattle Handling-No fork lifts allowed

By now anybody not living under a rock has read about or viewed the clip on Utube capturing the heinous treatment of the downer cow at the California packing plant. It is beyond unfortunate that events such as this occur in the year 2008. So the question that is on everyone's mind as they bite into their next cheese burger... Is this standard operational procedure or they a just a few bad apples? The beef industry is suffering from issues such as Mad Cow disease, E. Coli scares, and images of "factory farms". So what is it really like on the inside?

Cattle handling by individuals in the system has never been better. You might say in the context of the above, that's odd. The current thinking on cattle handing has come a long way from yelling, whistling, and prodding to the behavioral information put forth by Temple Grandin in her book Animals In Translation. Handling and moving cattle has come to be understood as a behavioral issue not a physical one. Cattle handling systems at all levels should be designed to capitalize on cattle behavior not rope em' cowboy techniques. When we move cattle its body english not forklifts. Visual stimulation with flags on sticks replace electric prods. Calm quiet employees moving cattle in a safe controlled fashion should be the norm.

The industry has learned that from early on cattle have to be calm quiet and not stressed. This leads to good quality meat on the plate. From the time they are calves to the end of the road this applies. In fact, difficult to handle and wild cattle should be culled early on as they have been found to have tough meat not to mention a safety issue.

So how does a farm go about learning the best cattle management practices? Many farms across the nation have become Beef Quality Assurance farms. This is a course that teaches the farmer to manage their cattle with the highest quality standards in the industry. Rock Farm is certified by Purdue University and we apply these standards to our cattle.

Correct humane cattle handling does not stop at the farm gate. Livestock truckers can become certified in best practices for trucking cattle also. Remember poor handling that produce stressed and bruised cattle only equals money hard earned out the window. Which of course no one wants to see happen.

And Finally at the packing plant safe unloading once again focusing on correctly designed loading docks, alleys and pens is a must.

Treatment of downer animals should be no less than any other in the system. Once an animal is deemed a downer proper procedure should be pursued in a swift and humane fashion. Protocols should be in place to manage this issue at all levels of production. It goes without saying that these animals should never enter the food chain. The U.S. continues to have the highest quality and safest food supply in the world.

Hopefully these rouge employees will be brought to justice and a few bad apples don't spoil the rest of the bunch.

Winter Warmth

This recipe was made using a brand new 5 quart enameled cast iron dutch oven from Basix by Staub. There was some uncertainty about the quality of this pot since it was not reviewed by Cook’s Illustrated which we use to determine cookware purchases. The Staub handled the browning process very well and cooked the beef evenly without burning. Of course it was monitored more closely than usual. In the past, the beef has always kind of boiled in liquid that it released while it was browning. The dry aged Rock Farm Natural stew meat didn’t let off any liquid and browned perfectly in the pot. This recipe is adapted from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. The oven is used for the cooking process because the heat is distributed more evenly.

½ cup flour
salt
pepper
oil
2 pounds beef stew meat and some bone
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp allspice
small sliced onion
2-3 potatoes
2-3 carrots

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Mix flour, salt and pepper in bowl. Dry beef on a paper towel and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in pan over medium high heat, gently place meat in pan only adding enough to not crowd the meat, turning until brown all over. Do not cook through. Cook in batches until all meat is browned. Scrape the frond from the pan as you go. Return the meat to the pan, add the liquid slowly watching for spattering. Add remaining ingredients except for the carrots and potatoes. Bring to boiling over high heat, cover and then place in oven. Cook at 300ºF for 2 - 2½ hours. Add vegetables and cook for another 30 minutes or until tender. This goes great with baking powder biscuits.

Aging Beef Gracefully

The final step in beef processing is the aging of the product. This
process can really compliment the farmer's efforts in good breeding
and animal management to provide the highest quality eating experience.
Beef can be dry aged or wet aged. It really makes a difference how this
is done. Currently beef in the supermarket is wet aged. In the 60's
this process was developed to save on time, money, and space. The beef
is packed after a day or two of processing in vacuum pack bags. While in
the bags the beef basks in it's own juices which contain enzymes that
breakdown the tough connective tissue imparting a more tender product.
Unlike dry aging, there is no loss of water and therefore no loss of
weight. The final product is said to have a less impressive flavor than
traditionally dry aged beef. The taste tends to be more on the bloody
side verses the more beefy buttery flavor imparted by dry aging. The
length of time wet aging is on average 17 days. Typically the beef
arrives at the grocery in vacuum packages within a week of processing.
It is held until needed, and then repackaged for display.

Dry aging is the process that predates wet aging and tends to be considered
the gold standard for the finest restaurants. Most chefs and true beef connoisseurs prefer this route for it's unique and distinct flavor. The process is greatly
different than wet aging. Once the animal is processed it is hung from
the rear leg for muscle stretch. The cooler conditions are highly
regulated both for humidity and temperature. During this process there
is
a loss of moisture from the carcass which results in a concentration of
the beef flavors and a tenderizing. The tenderizing occurs from the
natural muscle enzymes. The amount of time a butcher will do this is
anywhere from 7-28 days. Studies show that maximum tenderness is
achieved by 14 days. When buying beef this way
there is a shrinkage of the carcass of up to 6% from the initial hot
carcass weight by 14 days. When aging longer the weight loss can be as
high as 20%. This is important to recognize as most local farm fresh
beef is dry aged and sold by the hanging weight. The true weight in the
box is on average only 75% of the hanging weight.

So where do you get dry aged beef these days? It is often cited as a "lost art" and
hard to find. Rock Farm Natural Beef is processed at a small, country,
USDA inspected, family run packing plant in Sandford Maine. All beef is still dry aged the old fashion way. We enjoy the deep robust
flavor of dry aged beef daily thanks to the careful settings for
humidity and temperature control. In fact modern technology allows for
confirmation not only of cooler temperatures but the actually beef
carcass itself. Therefore there is never any question about food
safety. Treat yourself to this wonderful eating experience by tracking
down a local farmer who sells their beef directly to the consumer. Most
states will have a reference list of farms. Additionally going on the Internet and querying
the topic by region should produce a number of results. In fact there
is a trend of many small farms retailing their local goods across the
country via the Internet.

References:
Indiana Farm Fresh Beef Training Manual;Purdue University, 44-47.

Natural Beef, The Devil is in the Detail

Well there continues to be a major interest in "all natural" products.
When it comes to beef it is definitely on the rise. But what does that
really mean? I am asked all the time if my all natural beef is organic.
Of course the two products are not the same. The USDA defines
"natural beef" as a product that contains no artificial ingredients or
added color and is minimally processed. This actually entails all fresh beef.
The cattle and food industry have assigned their own meaning. There is variability
from product to product as the commercial meaning of "all natural beef"
is not legally defined. For farmers and ranchers buying and selling
cattle under the "all natural" claim entails proof from birth to
processing via signed affidavits that the animals have been raised
without the use of antibiotics or hormones. Each branded beef company
further assigns their particular standards which further define who
they are. Examples of this would be "raised without the use of animal
byproducts"," fed a vegetarian diet", and "raised humanely". The "all
natural cattle" are typically preconditioned which means they have
been given a series of immunizations and parasite treatments to make
sure they are in maximum health before they are put through the stress
of weaning and going to sale barns and ultimately feedlots. Once coined
"all natural" if the animal becomes sick appropriate medications
including antibiotics are typically administered and the animals are
then pulled from the label and put into conventional programs if they
live. And finally "all natural cattle" tend to be sold with paper work
supporting documentation of their date of birth and farm of origin
which is referred to as "age and source verified" cattle. This becomes
more important for international shipment of cattle for which the USDA
has a separate program to ensure the accuracy of such claims. So how
does the consumer sort all of this out at the meat counter? "All
natural " beef is usually sold as a branded product. This means the
beef is labelled with a company name such as Laura's Lean Beef.
Probably the best way to know what you are buying is to determine what
brands are sold locally and cross reference their websites. The
legitimate companies I have researched have all the
details both for the consumer and potential beef producer. The companies do a good job describing precisely what their product is really made of. We at Rock
Farm Natural Beef define our standards on our website, www.rockfarmbeef.com. I am always happy to answer any questions that arise.

Got Cloning?

Well the FDA has released its draft statement on cloning of livestock. They have concluded that consumption of cattle, swine and and goats from animals that have been cloned or their offspring pose no riskfor human consumption over animals produced from other breeding methods. Consumption of sheep clones is not on the list as safe to consume as there is lack of information on them. The offspring of cloned sheep however are considered safe. At this time the FDA is maintaining a "moratorium" on allowing clones or their offspring into the food chain. They will be taking comments for a period of time and then issuing their final statement.

So what will these super steers be used for? Cloned animals are very expensive to produce. They will be used primarily as copies of animals with highly desirable traits such as tender meat or disease resistance, etc. Currently animals with such desirable traits have their traits passed on via artificial insemination. Once the desirable animal is dead it is lost as the source of genetic material (ie. semen) and its offspring have to be relied on or other superior animals sought out.

My projection is that cloning will be a up and coming tool used by extremely high end breeders. From there their genetic information will be distributed more extensively into the gene pool of more discerning commercial herds concerned with carcass traits. With time it will be hard to track the dissemination of a cloned animal's family tree and the consumer will have no way of knowing what their food's origins are. That of course will limit the label claim of "no clones added" which you may see at some point alongside of other common claims such as no antibiotics added, no hormones.

How about organic labels and cloning? At first blush this is prohibited but in looking at the FDA comment for producers it sounds like that is not the final word

For now, I will be able to honestly say to my customers, "my animals have no clones in their lineage". Ten years from now, it may be hard to say!

Electronic comments can be submitted to the FDA on this topic at: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/commentdocket.cfm.

Sources:
Animal Cloning: FAQ's About Cloning for Livestock Managers; US FDA Center For Veterinary Medicine http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CloningRA_FAQProducers.htm

A Risk Based Approach to Evaluate Animal Clones and Their Progeny - Draft http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CloneRiskAssessment.htm