U.S. Organic Beef Sales Apt to Rise

U.S. Organic Beef Sales Apt to Rise

LONDONOrganic beef sales arepredicted to double in 2004 if suppliers can get sufficient volume into theretail trade, according to a study by Organic Monitor (www.organicmonitor.com);sales of organic meat rose by 35 percent in Canada in 2003 because of concernsabout mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, BSE).

In other organic beef news, a round organic feed facility isbeing built to accommodate 100 head of organic cattle in Howard, S.D., accordingto Dakota Beef Company LLC (www.dakotaorganic.com),the barns commissioners. The barn will be self-sustaining and compliant withorganic livestock production rulesthe cattle will be fed certified organicfeed that does not contain animal by-products thought to cause BSE, according toDakota.

The high cupola and central feed silo will allow the air tocirculate as it is drawn up and out through an opening in the roof. An anaerobicdigester will be incorporated to turn the cattles waste into usable methanegas, which may power the building and fuel much of the machinery in the feedfacility, according to Dakota.