The National Beef Association (NBA) Midlands Committee has set the date for a meeting in which it will bring together industry stakeholders to discuss better approaches to beef quality assurance schemes.
Speaking ahead of the event, John Bell, NBA Midlands chairman said he hoped it would inspire change in the current assurance system, putting more focus on better margins for producers while also satisfying retailers.
He said: “In the last two to three years, many supermarkets and abattoirs have tried to originate integrated production systems from the reared calf to the finishing systems.
The weakness – and maybe failure of these schemes – from the farmer’s point of view, are that they are all imposed from above and the producer is merely the peasant doing all the work and taking the risk.
“The ideal model, and hopefully result, of the thought process behind the meeting is to develop schemes that are built from the bottom upwards.
“Therefore they will gain producer control with the ultimate objective of obtaining genuinely assured margins for the producer whilst at the same time giving assured supply lines for both the abattoirs and the retailers.”
has today released details of their upcoming meeting which they hope will bring together enthusiastic, active beef farmers to discuss the future of our beef industry.
The meeting, organised by Berrystock Feeds, will take place at 3:00pm on Tuesday, October 23 at Daventry Rugby Club.
Entitled ‘Beef production – your future, where next?’ it will investigate how farmers can work together to create integrated beef supply chains that can produce quantities of branded, quality, consistent products for the retail market.
It will include short presentations from representatives throughout the beef industry to explain how an integrated model which benefits all partners of the supply chain could be achieved.
Speakers will include:
- A representative from one of the major supermarkets who will explain exactly what retailers are looking for from suppliers;
- Ian Wheal, founder of Breedr, who will explain the importance of data management, benchmarking of farms and traceability;
- Rodger Meadows, of Alexander and Angel, who will highlight lessons to be learned from the poultry and pig sector; and
- Mark Suthern, national head of agriculture for Barclays Bank who will present on the funding of integrated projects.
To book your place at this exciting afternoon of discussion, please contact the National Beef Association head office on: 01434-601-005; alternatively, those interested can email: [email protected].
