Improving market intelligence for the organic red meat sector in Wales

Summary

To improve market intelligence and data collection
1. There should be improved co-operation and co-ordination in the marketing of organic stock. There should be encouragement for farmers to co-operate in a structured way through regional producer marketing groups and co-ops.
2. It is suggested that all producer groups link in with the existing national livestock federation. This allows groups to work together in order to limit the numbers dealing with supermarket buyers, streamlining supply chains, leading to better quality and consistency of supply.
3. Producer groups already hold a lot of the information required. Information deemed by the groups to be commercially sensitive, as unrestricted access could undermine their work, can only be shared within the federation of groups. Once this data is deemed to be historic data then it can be released.
4. As most of the commercially sensitive material is held within the livestock federation it is crucial that there must be good communication between the federation and OCW for strategic direction and appropriate support. This could be achieved by working through the Organic Strategy Group and its sub groups.
Other recommendations
5. Support must be provided to enable existing smaller scale abattoirs and meat cutters to prosper. Regulatory, planning, and financial factors need to be reviewed to ensure this sector not only prospers, but also is encouraged to expand.
6. There needs to be improved liaison with certification bodies to improve the information that can be provided. An improved annual questionnaire for licensed producers covering numbers of animals on farm and numbers to be sold as stores or finished would be a valuable source of information. Certification bodies need to be financially rewarded for doing this work.
7. The Soil Association’s Organic Food and Farming Report uses data that runs from April to April. This should be changed to run as a calendar year to allow ease of comparison with other reports.
8. The NOLD and NOFAG databases should be further developed as a national service with regional options for trading and information provision. The recommendations above will be further developed in the Organic Red Meat Development Project.