Demand Grows For Red Meat Pork

Demand Grows For Red Meat Pork LIVESTOCK Hogs (33) 28-3-7 Business is booming for "the other red meat", says a Minnesota meat processor who specializes in Berkshire hogs, a breed known for its dark red meat and outstanding flavor. Until the recent Atkins meat-eating craze, the ancient breed was out of favor because of its higher fat content. But now Doug Smith of Geneva, Minn., says he can't process enough meat to satisfy the market. "We could sell the meat from 250 head a week if we had it," says the owner of Geneva meats. "In six months, we hope to be processing 400 head per week, and we don't even have a full time salesman. The product sells itself. Little old ladies from Florida are calling for it. You know you have a good product when you get repeat orders." Smith has worked with the American Berkshire Association and various Berkshire breeders to define and market the meat both in Japan and domestically. He pays Berkshire breeders $55/cwt, a full $15 over average cash hog prices for most of the past year. Demand in the U.S, says Smith, is tied to the amount of fat on the carcass and marbled throughout the meat compared to most modern pork. Overseas demand is based not only on the fat and flavor, but the dark red color. In much of Europe and Japan, the redder the pork, the better. He describes Berkshire as the pork equivalent to prime beef. Rodney Goodwin, Ames, Iowa, is riding the demand curve for Berkshires. In ten years, he has grown his sow herd from 25 to 400. He owns all the sows, but contracts with others to breed and finish the animals. Demand is strong now, but that wasn't always so, says Goodwin. He credits the USDA certification system for much of the current demand. "Before, anybody could sell pigs and claim they were Berkshires," says Goodwin. To be certified, all pigs have to be purebred Berkshires with pedigrees to prove it. All Berkshire sires also have to be tested for two genes, and any health products or feed additives have to be used at labeled status to avoid any food safety concerns. Through the program, any pork labeled as Berkshire can be traced back to the farm where it was raised. Goodwin also sells breeding stock with gilts going for $250 each. Boars sell from $500 to $1,000 each, depending on the number purchased at one time. He cautions the Berkshire business isn't for everyone. "Raising purebred pigs is not like raising cross breeds," says Goodwin. "Purebreds aren't as robust as cross breeds, so it takes better management skills to get sows bred and to get pigs to weaning. Once they get to weaning, they are an easy growing pig." He also points out that a breeder should know he has a market for his pigs. Smith is doing his best to build such markets. Although it has taken him three years to get the business to its present point, he sees lots of growth ahead. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal boosted his and Berkshire pork's visibility. Orders poured in. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Doug Smith, Berkshire Meats Inc., 75 East Main, P.O. Box 266, Geneva, Minn. 56035 (ph 507 256-7214; fax 507 256-7215; email: info@berkshiremeats.com; website: www.berkshiremeats.com); or Rodney Goodwin (breeding stock), 4004 Phoenix Street, Ames, Iowa 50014 (ph 515 231-1469; email: goodwinrn@aol.com).

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