Costs, Considerations Of Switching To Natural Or Organic Agricultural Methods
They found that a producer would have to make about $120 more per head on naturally finished cattle to make the same profit as they would have on conventionally finished ones. For organically finished cattle, that increases to about $400 more per head.
Now I admit these numbers are for finished product while I sell calves so the numbers aren't completely applicable to me but they do indicate some of the increased costs of these production methods. What I found interesting is the market you would be chasing.
What's more, Wileman said, is that research done at K-State shows that beef producers are competing for a mere 2 percent of a consumer's income. He said another thing to keep in mind is research showing that most growth in organic and natural food items has come from the same shoppers buying more products, not from an increase in the numbers of like-minded consumers.
So if you were to do this it would be to increase what people buy, not get new consumers. Maybe I'm just too comfortable with what I do or maybe I am just too good at what I do, but why change horse in mid stream. It looks like a little too much risk for me. There are people doing it and making money at it and more power too them. Not me.
I'm not sure that natural/organic beef is better or safer than the beef I buy today in the cooler at my supermarket today. BUT when someone who raises cattle for a job and that person tell me it will make beef more expensive then I believe that person.
Know-it-all's who know nothing will never suprise me.
Moo,
Mike Desmond
Milford, OH