Scotland has historically had a relatively disorganised livestock marketing system that weakened the negotiating power of organic producers resulting in low price premium and general uncertainty throughout the food chain. In the past organic farmers have often been forced to sell their stock through non-organic markets.
Caledonian Organics has been launched to plug a gap that existed in Organic marketing. Until CalOrg's launch organic livestock marketing had been treated as an 'add on' to conventional marketing. CalOrg focuses solely on organic livestock and is an independent, organic farmer owned group operating for the benefit of our members.
Recently the leading supermarkets have moved to sourcing their primary requirements from the UK and this coupled with the recent upsurge in UK demand for organic beef and lamb has created great opportunities for organic livestock producers throughout the UK. For farmers there are good prices to be obtained in the short term as supermarkets want to sell all the organic beef and lamb farmers can produce. However, if supermarkets once again turn to potential cheap supplies from the Southern Hemisphere, and the next wave of organic producers come through their organic conversions, there will undoubtedly be downward pressure on prices once again.
The objective of Caledonian Organics is to even out these damaging price fluctuations whilst at the same time raise the overall market price. Our goal is to have a positive impact on the price in the long term. Supermarkets are offering attractive contracts to organic farmers to entice them into signing up direct, thereby keeping producers as individuals who will have no impact on future markets. In this way supermarkets are trying to retain their control over prices. Producers who continue to supply direct will in the long run be contributing to a disorganised and weak marketing system which is clearly now putting farmers in the non-organic sector out of business.
Caledonian Organics is developing a future for itself and strengthening the negotiating power of organic farmers. We have already had a positive impact on the price, and as more members join we will be in a position to negotiate even better price deals. By balancing out supply and improving quality the group benefits processors, which in turn further strengthens CalOrg's negotiating position in the market. We are working very hard to bring real structure and stability to the organic beef and sheep markets. This will allow producers to plan ahead - our long term aim. We provide a professional service to our members, and are contributing to a more organised and united supply chain.
KEN PORTER
Dumfries-shire
I am from a farming family in Yorkshire and was in partnership with my father farming and running our own contracting business. I have been to agricultural college down in Berkshire when I was 26 to get some qualifications to back my practical experiences.
Myself and my wife managed Whiteholme Farm in Cumbria which incorporates Low Luckens. We converted the farm to organic and then we became farming partners with the owners. We were there for 5 years, producing lamb, beef and pork. During our time there we built an on farm butchery, marketed all our own meat direct to the consumer through box schemes and farmers markets. We were involved in the setting up of the Low Luckens Organic Resource Centre and were founder members of the Cumbria Organics group. We left after loosing sheep & pigs to 3km FMD cull.
We now manage an estate near Langholm, Tanlawhill, where we have been for 3 years. The estate is 3.500 acres which we put through conversion and is now fully organic. 90 AA cattle + followers, 2000 sheep. Most of our stock is sold as stores. We manage 4 staff and 8 houses as well as the farm. We are at present looking into organic egg production.
I hope this helps you all, know who you are dealing with!
DEBS ROBERTS
Perthshire
Farmton comprises 500 acres and is a traditional mixed enterprise. We converted 250 acres to organic production in 1999 and a further 70 entered conversion in 2005. The last tranche of 150 acres entered organic conversion in the autumn of 2006, without Organic Aid Scheme support. Cereals grown are spring oats, spring wheat and field beans. The suckler herd is up to 55 cows, split between autumn and spring calving. We have no sheep but let organic winter foggage.
Being committed to the organic production system, I signed up for the SAC postgraduate course in organic agriculture, studied part time from home and graduated in 2004. My personal approach to Caledonian Organics is enthusiastic commitment to any means which improves the supply chain for organic produce in Scotland. I believe the industry needs professional and expert marketing skills directly targeting lucrative and secure markets for our produce.
PAUL COATES
Aberdeenshire
Paul Coates has been farming with his partner Sarah for twenty years, firstly in Shetland and for the last eight years at Coldwells just outside Insch in Aberdeenshire. Coldwells Farm is an organic mixed farm growing forage crops and barley. A 30-cow suckler herd produces Aberdeen-Angus cross cattle for finishing; and 200 ewes lamb in April to produce lambs to finish at between 6 to 12 months. Some beef and lamb is sold directly through a box scheme, but the majority is handled by CalOrg.
Paul has worked for the promotion of local and organic farming and crofting for a long time, on and off as a consultant or committee member for the Crofters Commission, FWAG, and the Soil Association. He says being involved with CalOrg is particulary gratifying as it draws support from everybody with an interest in organic red meat, from farmers, through processors, to the Scottish Executive.
DAVID FINLAY
Dumfries & Galloway
Degree in agriculture at Aberdeen University.
Agricultural adviser for SAC for 10 years.
Farming for 20 years.
850 acres rugged all grass farm near Cstle Douglas in SW Scotland mixed livestock farm with approximately 650 sheep, 85 dairy cows and 35 beef cows. Dairy, beef and sheep converted to organic 1999, diversified into tourism and ice cream manufacture 1994, now employing 28 full time and 35 part time and seasonal staff.
Every animal bred on the farm not kept for breeding is finished and sold through Cal Org (except pure Ayrshire bullocks which are finished at 3 - 3.5 yr old, hung for 3 -4 weeks and sold as packed meat or hot meaks through our visitor centre on the farm.) 5% of milk produced is used for our own ice cream. The balance is sold through the organic milk co-operative OMSCO, Scotland.
JEREMY SHARMAN
Aberdeenshire
Farms 180 acres + 40 acres rented at Whitecaims, Aberdeenshire. 40 suckler cows approx. 120 head of cattle. Currently increasing the acreage of vegetables supplying to a local box scheme.
CAREY COOMBS
Dunseyre
Tenant farmer of 900 acres in Dunseyre. 400 breeding ewes, 100 pedigree shorthorns. Produces forage for own stock.
ROSS PATON
Auchencairn
Ross has been farming for 20 years in partnership with his sister Lee on an 830 acre SA licensed unit at Auchencairn near Castle-Douglas. The farm has been in the family since 1947 and started conversion in 2000.
Enterprises are dairy (150), beef (finishing 80-100 PA) and cereals (100 Acres). Replacements are reared on the unit and there is also a big area of woodland. Walking and conservation are actively encouraged on the farm and a new path network has just been established in conjunction with the local community.
The farm lies on the Solway coast overlooking the Cumbrian Mountains.
Ross is 46 years old and lives with his partner Steph and two children. He was educated in Auchencairn primary school, Kirkcudbright Academy, Cumbria College of Agriculture Newton Rigg and University of Stirling.
Ross' interests include helping run the local youth club, cycling, walking, reading, playing guitar, listening to music, messing about with PC's , playing computer games on and off- line and drinking wine, beer and whisky (responsibly of course). He is also chairman of the local Initiative group. He likes ski-ing too. And vintage aeroplanes, especially WWII era.
JENNY CUTHBERT
Procurement Manager
Jenny grew up on a farm in Lancashire with pigs, chickens and horses then graduated with a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics, with distinction in 1998.
After working as a commodity analyst in the gold market in London for 5 years she then gladly swapped her desk and deadlines for the farmyard! A 2,500 acre organic estate in Hampshire producing beef, lamb, pork, chicken, buffalo and wild boar.
Jenny increased the sales of all these products as Manager of the box scheme, the farmers markets, food shows, internet sales and farm shop; managing the numbers of stock coming through from different farm enterprises and the Marketing for the estate.
Now consigning stock for CalOrg members and always trying to open up new markets to mmebers, Jenny is aiming to turn CalOrg memberships into gold!