Farm assured stock will have market edge
Farm assured stock will have market edge
STORE cattle not registered in the Farm Assured British Beef and Lamb (FABBL) scheme by March 2003 will be difficult to sell because assured finishers will be reluctant to bid for non-FABBL animals.
Finishers have already reacted angrily to the news that the FABBL scheme is doubling the residency period of beef cattle to 180 days (News, Feb 15).
They claim that sourcing farm assured stores will be difficult because many breeders are either unable to meet FABBL specifications or cannot be bothered with the paperwork.
But National Beef Association chief executive Robert Forster says it is in the self-interest of store breeders to become farm assured. "The bait for breeders is to realise that store buyers will keep their hands in their pockets at markets, unless animals are farm assured."
Breeders in England and Wales should be motivated by the situation in Scotland, he adds. "Store cattle in Cumbria and Lancs are farm assured, allowing finishers in Scotland to stay within the assurance chain and turn over cattle within three months."
Mr Forster adds that farm assured stores will attract higher prices than unassured animals because of the greater numbers of finishers bidding.
Farmer focus contributor Peter Delbridge, who keeps store cattle near South Molton, Devon, says his animals have been FABBL registered since the launch of the scheme. "Our stores are announced as FABBL in the market and there are always regular buyers."
He is unaware of whether other store producers are registered. "It is never openly discussed, but this may change with FABBLs announcement." *