Workshop coop 6-08

“Local Beef Marketing for East Central NM” Workshop

Sponsor SWG= LA; June 7^th. 2008, at the Pino Creek Ranch

Goal:

Explore Interest, Opportunities and Chances for a Loca= l Beef Marketing Organization in the East Central NM area. Identify key players and supporters and generate plan for funding of a comprehensive feasibility study.

Six supporting ranches have already been identified; t= he workshop should at least be able to attract five more as well as some suppo= rt from the processing side and some potential customers.

Venue:

As this is an initial gathering of stakeholders, the workshop should be somewhat informal and leave lots of time for networking = and information exchange. Short presentations of no more than 15 minutes follow= ed by topic specific discussions are aimed at creating interest and food for thought.

Topics = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp;

o&nb= sp; Introduction= &nb= sp;

o&nb= sp; Production

o&nb= sp; Processing

o&nb= sp; Distribution

o&nb= sp; Sales & Marketing

o&nb= sp; Management – Organization &= nbsp;

o&nb= sp; Feasibility Study

Results &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp;

o&nb= sp; More than 20 people, representing 10 area ranches attended the workshop

o&nb= sp; Wide variety of topics where discussed very active and intense

o&nb= sp; The interest in marketing Local Beef is substantial

o&nb= sp; Initial steps have been taken by a few ranch= ers, so far success somewhat limited

o&nb= sp; A small working group was defined, to work o= ut possible joint efforts and to present them in a next meeting possibly in la= te summer.

L= ist of attendees

N= ame	P= hone	E= mail	M= ail
R= obert & Nancy Hall <= o:p>	5= 75 – 868 1701	nanbobhall@wildblue.net	H= C67 Box <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Newkirk, NM 88431
J= im & Carol Thorpe <= o:p>	5= 75 – 868 4686	jimthorpe@wildblue.net	H= C67 Box <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Newkirk, NM 88431
M= ax Tenorio Jr.	5= 75 – 642 5736	mtenorio@nmsu.edu	<= o:p> <= o:p>
M= aximiliano Tenorio <= o:p>	5= 75 – 472 3210	Tenorio@Plateautel.net	<= o:p>
W= illiam Ortiz <= o:p> <= o:p>	5= 75 – 868 9625	williamortiz@starband.net	H= C67 Box 9 <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Newkirk, NM 88431
J= oan Ortiz <= o:p> <= o:p>	5= 75 – 868 9625	joanortiz@starband.net	H= C67 Box 9 <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Newkirk, NM 88431
F= rank & Virginia Franko <= o:p>	5= 75 – 641 5444	Virginia_Franko@yahoo.com	G= en. Delivery T= rementina, 88439
F= loyd & Ginger Causey <= o:p>	5= 75 – 641 5225	<= o:p>	G= en. Delivery T= rementina, 88439
T= om & Mimi Sidwell <= o:p>	5= 75 – 487 2419	Sidwell@jxranch.com	6= 237 Hwy 209 Tucumcari, NM 88401
S= teve Warshawer <= o:p>	5= 75 – 422 2238	Stevew@Plateautel.net	<= o:p>
M= ark Whetten <= o:p> <= o:p>	5= 75 – 868 2495	<= o:p>	H= C67 Box 30 <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Newkirk, NM 88431
<= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Kleve Bain <= o:p>	5= 75 – 472 3457	KleveBain@yahoo.com	<= o:p>
J= im Hicks <= o:p>	5= 75 – 641 1161	<= o:p>	<= o:p>
M= artin & Margrit Honegger <= o:p>	5= 75 – 641 5282	PCR@Plateautel.net	H= C67 Box 40 <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Newkirk, NM 88431
R= a Vernon D= irector for SWGLA <= o:p> <= o:p> <= o:p>	5= 05 – 231 3467	Greatbeef2@gmail.com	South West Grassfed Livestock = Alliance 1210 Louisa St. Suite 10 Santa F= e, NM&n= bsp; 87505
G= ail & Galen Fletcher	5= 75 – 487 8740	<= o:p>	Ranch Food Tucumca= ri, NM 88401<= /st1:PostalCode>

Note= s from Workshop Discussions:

- Grassfed / Corn-fed / Organic / Natural

- Natural =3D No Hormones or Antibiotics

- Local products

- Seasonal grass (Sept-Dec) or corn finished rest = of year

- Freezer Beef vs. fresh beef

-       Milk Calves 6-700 lb

-

-       Restaurant (Volume / Guarantees)

-       Health conscious folks

-       Sisco (Consistence / Volume)

-       Supply channel with added value

-       Buying groups / CSA

-       Finishing potential for irrigated pasture (Max T= .)

-       WDG / Silage in yard (80 head lot min)

-       Define Quality parameters (Organic, Local, Natur= al)

-       Max Tenorio is working on processing plant in Mi= lagro
inspected, 100% traceability
synchronize supply & demand with irrigated pasture and staggered calvin= g
High quality feed
Issues water, money, permits

-       defined a working committee
- Robert Hall
- Max Tenorio Jr.
- Martin Honegger

-       Research support : Ginger Causey

-       Goal, work out plan for next steps

-       Follow up email from Tom & Mimi Sidwell=

Martin and Margrit,= first of all thank you so much for hosting the meeting and arranging for all that wonderful food! I thought it was very informative, and lots of ideas = and concerns were bounced around. A good start.

With all the questi= ons re. different ways we raise our beef (grassfed, natural, organic) and the vario= us breeds (inconsistency??), difficulty in offering beef year round etc.etc.&n= bsp; I have a suggestion I hadn't really thought of voicing at the meeting.

First a little back ground: When we were in Nebraska, we formed, together with a handful of neighboring ranchers and farmers who like us offered recreational opportunities (hunting, guest ranching, b and b, etc.) on their properties,= an organization we called North West Nebraska High Country Association. = We did this so that we could together afford better marketing and advertising = with pooled moneys, and also keep ourselves better informed of legal matters, ma= rketing opportunities etc. I made the website for the group, and on this group website, we listed all the activities offered by the group as a whole (the group had grown to 30 ranches when we left), and made a page for each membe= r, where they could list what they offered, prices, seasons and have 3 pictures. When a member received an inquiry for hunting for example, = and was already booked, he or she would send the email on to the other member a= nd ask if anybody could take them. This way we kept the hunter and his m= oney within the group and in the area, helping each other rather than competing = with each other. This worked so well. We had monthly meetings except= for summer when everybody was too busy, and met at a different member's home at night, had potluck supper and then an organized regular meeting. We w= ould invite speakers on different subjects etc. We had brochures printed f= or the group, with a link to the website, and everybody pitched in a small amo= unt for this. Somebody would be going to different recreational or outdoor expos or other such events to represent the group. Everybody used the website/brochures/group as a advertising tool, but the customer would conta= ct each member individually for whatever service.

I thought maybe som= ething along these lines might be a good start for this group. We could have= a good website, with a page, or link, to each member, as I suggested at the meeting, and then the customer can contact whoever they want to based on wh= at they want and what each of us offer. We can have a membership fee ($25/ranch for starters?) to pay for website development and hosting etc. a= nd have monthly or bi-monthly or quarterly meetings with potluck dinner, can a= lso invite speakers, such as Darrin from Fort Sumner, someone from Santa Fe restaurant world, etc. Also someone can talk to us about insurance, marketing etc.etc. Usually these people come for free. That we = the group wouldn't have to all do the same thing, which may not work for everyb= ody, and the group wouldn't have to be responsible or liable for everybody in the group. Then, when we all get some experience and see where this is go= ing, we can then always look at doing something more involved.

What do you think?&= nbsp; Also, are you sending out the email / phone / name list of everybody who was there?

Here is the website= I made for the Nebraska<= /st1:State> group. It'll give you a good idea of what I am thinking: www.nebraskahighcountry.com= . Mimi

Best regards,
Tom and Mimi Sidwell
JX Cattle Company, LLC
6237 Hwy 209
Tucumcari, New Mexico 88401
www.jxranch.com