Isn't it about time that...

[Jac]

Following my last post I now have a reply from the DCS to make things clearer both query and response posted.

To Members of Council/Beef Committee,

Following my success at the Lampeter Food Festival on Saturday (25th July 2015) I have been evaluating the effects of my efforts in terms of future sales. My findings were that 99% of the people who purchased were buying Dexter beef for the first time. No doubt when they have tried it they will be ‘hooked’. The question is when it runs out who will they buy it from?

Due to advancing age and lack of numbers I am not able to sell my beef through weekly/monthly markets however, whilst I was at the festival there were a couple of other stallholders (who regularly do the market circuits) that trade in Dexter beef (not members of the scheme or even of the Society) in fact one of them offered me 5 steers – I wonder whether she will be needing to offload them after my promotional efforts!

Now that government bodies have done away with requirement for independent verification for the labelling of ‘Dexter’ beef it is even more important to promote the purity of Dexter beef because at present few know the certification mark exists. Yes, you have it on the website but how many people that eat meat want to access a cattle breeders site? Yes, you put up your posters at agricultural shows but what percentage of the population attend in the big scheme of things or if they do, actually want to associate live animals with food? I am aware that an area group promotes elsewhere but this is the exception not the rule. These things are important but the effect it is having is too limited.

I would like to put forward the following suggestions:

Instead of asking permission to use the ‘mark’ on sales literature, websites etc., consider encouraging members to do so – don’t put the permission hurdle in their way.

Get some posters printed to the effect ‘if there is no mark it isn’t Dexter beef’ and make them available to members – encourage them to display them if they have a farm shop/market stall – give them away if you have to!

Get some A4 mini posters (containing similar information to the above) and send them to every member of the Society and ask them to find somewhere to display them, somewhere with an impact – they may not be selling Dexter beef but they depend on people buying the stock they breed and to keep prices at a realistic level. More importantly, it provides a medium to remove substandard stock.

Promote the ‘mark’ at places where people buy dead animals not live ones. Butcher’s conventions, food festivals etc.

Get something out in the media i.e in food mags/food websites.

Sort out a facebook page for the ‘mark’.

If this isn’t possible within the remit of our charity then members will have to consider whether this ‘scheme’ is fit for purpose and all previous efforts that have been made will have come to nought. Growth in the numbers of the breed (and members of the DCS) is dependent on whether it is viable to keep them. It has not been viable for some years hence the increase in the number of unregistered herds in efforts to drive costs down. A way forward must surely be found.

Yours etc....

Dear Jacqui,

Thank you for your letter of 29th July which was passed to the Beef Committee for consideration and discussion at their meeting which was held on 2nd September. Their recommendations were put before Council on 23rd September. The beef Committee have really appreciated your input and suggestions.

Your comments regarding the request to use the Dexter Beef logo were discussed and it was thought that the use of the logo does need to be regulated, as does any other valuable possession. However Council have decided that the Beef members who have asked to use the logo, providing they are current members of the scheme, can now allow other people they supply i.e. butchers and restaurants to use the Dexter Beef logo providing said member is responsible and polices the use or misuse of it.

The Dexter Beef posters, leaflets and other items were always going to be put into effect and these should be available to all members shortly. The committee has been working behind the scenes to ensure that accurate, informative and helpful detail is used in an easy to understand format.

Dexter Beef is a very niche market and as such needs to be marketed in a very specialised and yet professional manner. Chefs, butchers and restaurants are delighted with the Dexter beef taste and the provenance provided by the Dexter Beef Mark Scheme, however it would be a serious waste of the Society's hard earned funds and member's efforts to create a marketplace that members of the Dexter Beef Scheme cannot supply. The committee is very aware that despite increasing members joining the Beef Scheme, there is far more work still to be done.

The Dexter Beef Mark members are arranging a Dexter Beef Conference to be held on Saturday 7th November 2015 at Stoneleigh, details will be circulated this week. It will be the ideal opportunity to discuss many of the ideas put forward by both yourself and other members of the Beef Committee.

Kindest wishes etc...

[Rob R]

Dexter Beef is a very niche market and as such needs to be marketed in a very specialised and yet professional manner. Chefs, butchers and restaurants are delighted with the Dexter beef taste and the provenance provided by the Dexter Beef Mark Scheme, however it would be a serious waste of the Society's hard earned funds and member's efforts to create a marketplace that members of the Dexter Beef Scheme cannot supply. The committee is very aware that despite increasing members joining the Beef Scheme, there is far more work still to be done.

It's even more of a waste of our time to be producing beef that there simply isn't a market for - chicken and egg springs to mind.

The Dexter Beef Mark members are arranging a Dexter Beef Conference to be held on Saturday 7th November 2015 at Stoneleigh, details will be circulated this week. It will be the ideal opportunity to discuss many of the ideas put forward by both yourself and other members of the Beef Committee.

Kindest wishes etc...

A conference, at pretty much the busiest time of the year for beef producers!? I hope there is to be opportunity for remote participation of some kind. Twitter is quite popular for conferences these days.


On the more positive side, I've had a couple of enquiries/sales that I think have come from the beef scheme list recently.

[Rob R]

Just got the e-mail - pleased to see that the labels will be pre-printed from now on.

[Builth]

I would love to see a Facebook page but don't do Twitter, I'd never get anywork done.