What Effect will Biofuels have on the UK Cattle Industry?
Richard Whitlock (Industrial Crops Director, Frontier Agriculture, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2UB)
Are biofuels the solution or the problem for agriculture and the environment? There has been a lot of press coverage, mainly promoting the fear factor and ignoring the benefits. This paper aims to put fact-based balance into the argument to aid better understanding of the benefits and risks of biofuels, starting from a global overview and finishing with the direct impact of biofuels on the UK cattle industry. And believe Richard when he says - it could be pretty good.
Mechanical Grading of Beef Carcases - The Irish Experience
Dr Tom Keating (Agricultural Inspector, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Grattan Business Park, Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland)
In Ireland, prior to 2004, all beef carcasses were classified on the EUROP scale by Dept of Agriculture officers. Now that mechanical classification has been introduced, 24 beef plants use it accounting for approximately 90% of the National kill. Overall, mechanical grading is viewed by the industry as an independent and accurate method of beef carcass classification and there is a good acceptance by both the farming community and the meat plants.
Going to Market at the Click of a Mouse!
Rick Sanderson (Managing Director, Buy-LOCAL.net Ltd, Bedford i-Lab, Stannard Way, Bedford, MK44 3RZ)
Having worked on behalf of farmers for 14 years Rick Sanderson felt that the market dynamics were tipped too far in favour of the retailer. In 2005 he and his wife set about doing something about this by creating www.buy-local.net, an Online Farmers Market franchising throughout the UK.
Rosé Veal Production from Black and White Bull Calves
Frank Foster (Supply Chain Manager, Linden Foods, Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland)
A large number of dairy bred calves are exported each year. In order to stop this loss of raw material Linden Foods developed a sustainable system of Rose veal production. The challenge was being able to produce carcases of a suitable size and colour for the European market.
How to Make a Profit?
Philip Heard (Farmer, Meldon Farm, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4LU)
How Will Global Beef Consumption Affect Us?
Dr Marcia Dutra de Barcellos (Postdoctoral Researcher, MAPP Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus, Haslegaardsvej 108210, Aarhus V, Denmark)
In the new millennium, people's expectations about life and food consumption are changing radically. Global and local enterprises compete for the time, money and attention of consumers worldwide, creating a strong need to understand their needs and desires. In this presentation, insights into beef consumption are presented, aiming to explore global trends and their impacts in the beef industry.
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