When butcher Geoff Beazley approached John Scales about supplying his Wodonga business with grass fed beef it was the catalyst for what has become the Mitta Valley Beef Coop.
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Mr Beazley wanted regional stock and was keen to find an alternative to feedlot-finished boxed beef.
“The Tallangatta abattoir closed and that meant Geoff didn’t have a real supply of meat,” Mr Scales, Mitta Valley Beef chairman, said.
“He came and approached me and asked me if I’d be able to supply meat to him. I could do a couple a week, he wanted five a week at that stage.
“I said I’d have a whip around to see who else was interested and the response was great.”
The coop has been running for almost a year now but only recently formed a board to formalize the operation.
It has also employed a business manager to oversee the operation.
Mr Scales “Banimboola Pastoral” said 15 Mitta Valley producers have joined the coop, with another two non-producer supporters also paid members.
They supply seven carcases a week to Beazley's Meats, and also sell direct through a website.
“Those that are interested have jumped on board and they’re a very passionate group and very keen to see it succeed,” he said.
“The quality of cattle that we’re putting through the coop has been just wonderful and that’s the sort of commitment that will drive it into the future.” Alan and Karen Rankin produce EU Accredited Angus at Tallandoon and were among the farmers who saw the market potential of a coop. “It’s potluck at the markets, you can have a good day or you can have a bad day, you really don’t know,” Mr Rankin said.
“We had lots of working groups to work it out and it grew slowly but we’re at the point where we’ve got an official coop, and it makes it very viable.
Mr Rankin weighs his stock monthly and can closely forecast when cattle would be at the optimum 380-440kg. The growers are confident consumers would taste the consistent quality of the clean and green Mitta Valley beef year-round.
“We have farmers putting in autumn crops so we can fatten cattle right through winter to ensure the quality will be there right through,” Mr Scales said.
“For the first time in our life we’re price makers instead of price takers and that’s pretty exciting in itself.”
“The Kiewa Valley is doing the same with their milk, I’m really proud of what those boys are doing over there, they’re backing themselves in and they’ve got a lot of support too.”
