Young couple open up new avenues for organic farmers
Picture: Jonathan and Sally outside their new processing plant. (More pictures from this story are in the photograph library or on the link on the left of the homepage)
ENTERPRISING farmer's son Jonathan Rees and his wife Sally have come up with a solution for those livestock farmers who have gone organic without giving too much thought to marketing their produce.
They have built a state of the art processing unit on part of Jonathan's parents 620 acre organic farm in the Dugwm Valley above Newtown, Powys and are not only processing their own beef and sheep, but are offering other farmers in the area a complete processing service.
They have also set up Welsh farm Organics to market and sell their farm assured produce via a website as well as through shops, hotels, restaurants, a personal delivery service and at farmers markets in Knighton, Oswestry, Welshpool and Wrexham.
The Wood Clad 50ft x 250ft temperature controlled unit which cost £120,000 to erect and equip, has been developed with the aid of a processing and marketing grant, delivered by the Welsh assembly Government and European Funding.
Built to the highest requirements of the Meat Hygiene Service, it includes a freezer, meat chiller, cutting room, a hanging room where carcasses are hung for 4/5 weeks after being bought back from the abattoir less than 10 miles down the road, a packing area and loading bay.
The young couple, who married last summer, are quick to acknowledge the help they have received not only from the experts at the WDA, Farming Connect and ADAS consultants, but also from Wales YFC and its enterprise scheme.
Jonathan, 25, said although he had worked on the family farm since leaving school he had always harboured the dream of creating his own enterprise. "My parents were among a number of people who went into organic farming and then found that they couldn't market their lamb and beef. When we heard about the Farming Connect scheme Sally and I decided to investigate ways of addressing this situation and, although we encountered a few planning problems along the way, we have been delighted how helpful everyone has been towards our venture, and it resulted in us accessing a PMG"
Although the business has only been running since November, the couple are encouraged by the way it is developing. "One of our biggest problems is trying to educate people about the benefits of organic meat products, which cost slightly more than conventional lamb and beef because the animals are reared in a system that avoids synthetic pesticides, fertilisers or additives."
"As proof of the pudding is in the eating I have given some sceptical hoteliers and restaurateurs samples of my meat to taste and I have been delighted to find that this has invariably lead to an order."
Jonathan and Sally, who live in a 300 year old traditional Welsh long house alongside the unit, admit that it will not be as easy to educate the many urban dwellers who tend to buy cheaper non-organic cuts.
But following contacts Jonathan made during a SIAL international food exhibition in Paris he is now in negotiations with a major wholesaler that could lead to a substantial increase in demand for Welsh Organic Meat.
"Our research shows that there is a fast growing market for organic meat, particularly from high class hotels and restaurants, and, in a way we are helping to create a bigger market by selling our produce into it." added Jonathan.
Further details on Welsh Farm Organics at www.welshfarmorganics.co.uk
