Staffordshire’s Quality Beef Breeders Back on Track

Beef farming in Staffordshire is getting an extra boost next week as the Quality Beef Breeders Association gets back in harness for the first time since Foot and Mouth shattered the organisation.

Staffordshire’s Rural Hub Co-ordinator Pat Pimlott is playing a central role in getting the group going again – helping farmers and breeders to share ideas about how they can put local beef back firmly at the top of the menu.

Pat, who is a beef breeder herself, is working from the County Council’s Economic Development HQ is Stafford, promoting new innovation and creativity in rural enterprise in Staffordshire.

She is helping farmers identify new opportunities, new markets and new ways of marketing their produce – and keeping Staffordshire’s rural economy healthy and vibrant.

The Quality beef Breeders Association is gathering in Ilam in the Staffordshire Moorlands for a reformation celebration farm walk and barbecue at Throwley Hall. Farmers and breeders who want to come along to talk beef are welcome to come along.

The farm is a fascinating and dramatically beautiful traditional hill top farm complete with dry stone walls – a lovely setting to kick-start the Quality Beef Breeders Association.

“It’s a real chance to see first class beef at its best, and to chat to friends and new acquaintances who are all facing the same challenges together. The Quality Beef Breeders Association can help give local breeders the muscle they need in an increasingly competitive market place.

“The Quality Beef Breeders Association is keen to show that Staffordshire’s farmers can lead the way at this challenging time, and successfully shorten the supply chain by producing cattle that are hotly sought after by butchers as dead weight, or through the auction rings. Rural Hub is backing the Association all the way,” she said.

The evening walk will demonstrate how a suckler cow enterprise can work successfully in the new Single Farm Payment Cross Compliance Scheme.

The farm walk is the first in a series of joint events organised by the Association and Rural Hub.

Bryan Wilson, of the Quality Beef Breeders Association is looking forward to the future of the Group.

“Working together, discussing the issues around our industry, and meeting up from time to time, can only be good for farmers, and the bottom line. I would urge as many farmers as possible to come and show support for our industry,” he said.