Montana's organic livestock producers form co-op, focus on beef first
US - Twenty-two organic livestock producers have joined together to form the Montana Organic Producers Co-op (MOPC).
2 April 2007
2 minute read
It's mission is to help organic producers achieve fair, stable pricing for their output based on cost-of-production plus a fair return.
Organic producers face a number of challenges in obtaining a fair price including cheap off-shore organic meats being sold to consumers without country of origin labeling; a lack of local certified organic processing facilities; limited transportation to inter- and intra-state markets; and a lack of information on cost-of-production and grading to help producers continually improve their herds and manage their pricing proactively.
“MOPC's purpose is to help organic producers market their products at a fair price regardless of the hurdles particular to organic production. We want to represent our members in those arenas which can affect infrastructure and legislation to the benefit of not only organic producers, but our agricultural community as a whole,” said Clay McAlpine, MOPC
MOPC has grown out of the input of over 70 organic producers who worked together to develop a unique co-op model. It orchestrates the growing, feeding, and finishing of animals produced by its members, allowing profits of cow-calf and feed sales to remain within the group before finished animals are sold to national and regional buyers.
“Our pricing model has little to do with conventionally produced meats and commodity pricing because our animals are raised using a completely different production management system,” explained McAlpine. “MOPC's certified organic growers adhere to current organic law, but they take their commitment to sustainable farming practices one step further. Our animals are pasture-raised and grass finished, while commodity pricing levels are tied to corn prices and feed lot systems.”
Source: The Prairie Star
