SHORT CASE 'Organic farming means taking care and getting all the details right. It is about quality from start to finish.

SHORT CASE

'Organic farming means taking care and

getting all the details right. It is about

quality from start to finish. Not only the

quality of the meat that we produce but

also quality of life and quality of care for

the countryside.' Nick Fuge is the farm

manager at Lower Hurst Farm located

within the Peak District National Park of

the UK. He has day-to-day responsibility

for the well-being of all the livestock

and the operation of the farm on strict

organic principles. The 85-hectare farm

has been producing high-quality beef

for almost 20 years but changed to fully

organic production in 1998. Organic

farming is a tough regime. No artificial

fertilizers, genetically modified feedstuff

or growth-promoting agents are used. All

beef sold from the farm is home bred and

can be traced back to the animal from which

it came. ' The quality of the herd is most important,' says

Nick, 'as is animal care. Our customers trust us to ensure

that the cattle are organically and humanely reared, and

slaughtered in a manner that minimizes any distress. If you

want to understand the difference between conventional

and organic farming, look at the way we use veterinary

help. Most conventional farmers use veterinarians like an

emergency service to put things right when there is a problem

with an animal. The amount we pay for veterinary

assistance is lower because we try to avoid problems with

the animals from the start. We use veterinaries as consultants

to help us in preventing problems in the first place.'

Catherine Pyne runs the butchery and the mail-order

meat business. 'After butchering, the cuts of meat are individually

vacuum-packed, weighed and then blast frozen.

We worked extensively with the Department of Food and

Organically good quality 5

Nutrition at Oxford Brooks University to devise the best way

to encapsulate the nutritional, textural and flavoursome

characteristics of the meat in its prime state. So, when you

defrost and cook any of our products you will have the same

tasty and succulent eating qualities associated with the best

fresh meat.' After freezing, the products are packed in

boxes, designed and labelled for storage in a home freezer.

Customers order by phone or through the internet for

next-day delivery in a special 'mini deep freeze' reusable

container which maintains the meat in its frozen state. 'It

isn't just the quality of our product which has made us a

success', says Catherine. 'We give a personal and inclusive

level of service to our customers that makes them feel close

to us and maintains trust in how we produce and prepare the

meat. The team of people we have here is also an important

aspect of our business. We are proud of our product and feel

that it is vitally important to be personally identified with it.'