Scotland has historically had a relatively disorganised livestock marketing system that weakened the negotiating power of organic producers resulting in low price premium and general uncertainty throughout the food chain. In the past organic farmers have often been forced to sell their stock through non-organic markets.
Caledonian Organics has been launched to plug a gap that existed in Organic marketing. Until CalOrg's launch organic livestock marketing had been treated as an 'add on' to conventional marketing. CalOrg focuses solely on organic livestock and is an independent, organic farmer owned group operating for the benefit of our members.
Recently the leading supermarkets have moved to sourcing their primary requirements from the UK and this coupled with the recent upsurge in UK demand for organic beef and lamb has created great opportunities for organic livestock producers throughout the UK. For farmers there are good prices to be obtained in the short term as supermarkets want to sell all the organic beef and lamb farmers can produce. However, if supermarkets once again turn to potential cheap supplies from the Southern Hemisphere, and the next wave of organic producers come through their organic conversions, there will undoubtedly be downward pressure on prices once again.
The objective of Caledonian Organics is to even out these damaging price fluctuations whilst at the same time raise the overall market price. Our goal is to have a positive impact on the price in the long term. Supermarkets are offering attractive contracts to organic farmers to entice them into signing up direct, thereby keeping producers as individuals who will have no impact on future markets. In this way supermarkets are trying to retain their control over prices. Producers who continue to supply direct will in the long run be contributing to a disorganised and weak marketing system which is clearly now putting farmers in the non-organic sector out of business.
Caledonian Organics is developing a future for itself and strengthening the negotiating power of organic farmers. We have already had a positive impact on the price, and as more members join we will be in a position to negotiate even better price deals. By balancing out supply and improving quality the group benefits processors, which in turn further strengthens CalOrg's negotiating position in the market. We are working very hard to bring real structure and stability to the organic beef and sheep markets. This will allow producers to plan ahead - our long term aim. We provide a professional service to our members, and are contributing to a more organised and united supply chain.
Day-to-day procurement at Cal Org is carried out by Iain Turner. Iain has been procuring organic livestock at Graig Producers in Wales for 10 years, and is therefore probably the most experienced person in the UK for organic stock procurement. From a farming background, Iain has run his own farm as well as worked for auctioneers before procuring organic livestock.
He often judges stock at shows, including the Royal Welsh, and has spent many years breeding Charolais sheep. The Board of Cal Org believe that with his wealth of experience, Iain is the ideal person to be procuring Cal Org’s livestock.
When phoning to book-in stock, it is Iain you will normally speak to.
ROSS PATON
Auchencairn
Ross has been farming for 20 years in partnership with his sister Lee on an 830 acre SA licensed unit at Auchencairn near Castle-Douglas. The farm has been in the family since 1947 and started conversion in 2000.
Enterprises are dairy (150), beef (finishing 80-100 PA) and cereals (100 Acres). Replacements are reared on the unit and there is also a big area of woodland. Walking and conservation are actively encouraged on the farm and a new path network has just been established in conjunction with the local community.
The farm lies on the Solway coast overlooking the Cumbrian Mountains.
Ross is 46 years old and lives with his partner Steph and two children. He was educated in Auchencairn primary school, Kirkcudbright Academy, Cumbria College of Agriculture Newton Rigg and University of Stirling.
Ross' interests include helping run the local youth club, cycling, walking, reading, playing guitar, listening to music, messing about with PCs , playing computer games on and off- line and drinking wine, beer and whisky (responsibly of course). He is also chairman of the local Initiative group. He likes ski-ing too. And vintage aeroplanes, especially WWII era.
DAVID FINLAY
Dumfries & Galloway
Degree in agriculture at Aberdeen University.
Agricultural adviser for SAC for 10 years.
Farming for 20 years.
850 acres rugged all grass farm near Castle Douglas in SW Scotland mixed livestock farm with approximately 650 sheep, 85 dairy cows and 35 beef cows. Dairy, beef and sheep converted to organic 1999, diversified into tourism and ice cream manufacture 1994, now employing 28 full time and 35 part time and seasonal staff.
Every animal bred on the farm not kept for breeding is finished and sold through Cal Org (except pure Ayrshire bullocks which are finished at 3 - 3.5 yr old, hung for 3 -4 weeks and sold as packed meat or hot meals through our visitor centre on the farm.) 5% of milk produced is used for our own ice cream. The balance is sold through the organic milk co-operative OMSCO, Scotland.
ANDREW LORRAINE-SMITH
Lanarkshire
Andrew's family moved to Hagbrae Farm in Midlothian in 1950. He took over in 1968 and converted to organic in 1991. He currently has 100 dairy cows and a small flock of south country cheviots.
KEN COOPER
Aberdeenshire
DEBS ROBERTS
Perthshire
Farmton comprises 500 acres and is a traditional mixed enterprise. We converted 250 acres to organic production in 1999 and a further 70 entered conversion in 2005. The last tranche of 150 acres entered organic conversion in the autumn of 2006, without Organic Aid Scheme support. Cereals grown are spring oats, spring wheat and field beans. The suckler herd is up to 55 cows, split between autumn and spring calving. We have no sheep but let organic winter forage.
Being committed to the organic production system, I signed up for the SAC postgraduate course in organic agriculture, studied part time from home and graduated in 2004. My personal approach to Caledonian Organics is enthusiastic commitment to any means which improves the supply chain for organic produce in Scotland. I believe the industry needs professional and expert marketing skills directly targeting lucrative and secure markets for our produce.
JEREMY SHARMAN
Aberdeenshire
Farms 180 acres + 40 acres rented at Whitecaims, Aberdeenshire. 40 suckler cows approx. 120 head of cattle. Currently increasing the acreage of vegetables supplying to a local box scheme.