Riders, I think it would be fair to say most of our
customers come to us for the perceived health
benefits and stay for the quality and taste. We could
have endless arguments about the health benefits of
grain or grass-fed beef but again I don't think there is
a "right" answer. I have customers that claim to have
severe reactions to eating anything that was ever
treated with antibiotic, others that have all kind of
allergies that you have to cater to in terms of content
of processed products like sausage. We have parents
of kids that wouldn't eat beef until they tasted ours,
I've a couple of customers who ate only wild game for
years because they are afraid of the industrial method
of meat production. Takes all kinds.
BFW you say:
"Whether grain or grass fed, the beef produced is
essentially the same and accomplishes the same
objective in the mind of the consumer."
Many consumers would dispute that and their
numbers are growing. Don't underestimate the
sophistication of the consumer.
As you say: "We built a grain fed industry because we
had excess grain (now not so much) and ranchers
who wished to dispose of their calves every fall."
It was nothing to do with consumer demand or
preference and I think that's always a dangerous road
to go down. Perhaps with $8 corn and $6 barley it's
time for the cattle industry to reconsider it's
direction?
customers come to us for the perceived health
benefits and stay for the quality and taste. We could
have endless arguments about the health benefits of
grain or grass-fed beef but again I don't think there is
a "right" answer. I have customers that claim to have
severe reactions to eating anything that was ever
treated with antibiotic, others that have all kind of
allergies that you have to cater to in terms of content
of processed products like sausage. We have parents
of kids that wouldn't eat beef until they tasted ours,
I've a couple of customers who ate only wild game for
years because they are afraid of the industrial method
of meat production. Takes all kinds.
BFW you say:
"Whether grain or grass fed, the beef produced is
essentially the same and accomplishes the same
objective in the mind of the consumer."
Many consumers would dispute that and their
numbers are growing. Don't underestimate the
sophistication of the consumer.
As you say: "We built a grain fed industry because we
had excess grain (now not so much) and ranchers
who wished to dispose of their calves every fall."
It was nothing to do with consumer demand or
preference and I think that's always a dangerous road
to go down. Perhaps with $8 corn and $6 barley it's
time for the cattle industry to reconsider it's
direction?
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