Cattle farmers have set up WA’s first organic beef co-operative to tap into growing demand from health-conscious consumers.

While conventional beef producers contend with their lowest prices in years, organic farmers in the cooperative are commanding prices that are about 20 per cent higher.

The 15 producers, who run about 1500 head of cattle, are certified organic growers who cannot use chemicals, hormones or antibiotics in their beef production.

The fledgling Organic and Biodynamic Meat WA Co-op supplies almost 1000kg of beef a week to butchers in Perth, Rockingham and Bunbury and aims to expand its local market.

Coordinator Gail Perry said organic producers received about $5kg for their beef, compared with conventional, grain-fed yearling, which fetched $3.90kg to $4.20kg. But organic growers face higher production costs because they run fewer cattle per hectare and their animals’ growth rate can be slower because they are not fed as much grain.

Williams farmer William Newton-Wordsworth said organic production was originally based on a personal desire to grow eco-friendly, healthy food but more producers were moving into full-time commercial operation as demand rose.

“When we started farming biodynamically around 18 years ago, people thought we were hippies and did not take it seriously,” Mr Newton-Wordsworth said.

“Things are changing fast now, for many reasons including a new awareness of the health benefits of organic food and the environmental problems associated with chemical farming.” He said that like conventional beef growers, organic growers were doing it tough under current prices but they believed a co-operative structure would allow them to better market their beef.

Ted Weir, of Weir’s Butchers in Nedlands, stocks organic beef to give his customers a choice.

Mr Weir said customers were willing to pay more for organic steaks, sausages and mince but other cuts were harder to sell.

His premium organic beef mince sold for about $4kg more than ordinary mince. During the busy pre-Christmas period he would focus on ordinary beef but would re-stock with organic beef.

Department of Agriculture and Food organic farming development officer Steven McCoy, who helped establish the co-operative, said the global organic food market was estimated at $40 billion, with markets in Britain and the US growing more than 20 per cent a year.

Source: The West Online