Organic Marketing Board sweeps board in competition

Graig Producers has swept the board at this year's St Merryn Carcass competition in the organic lamb class, taking the top four winning slots. This is now becoming the norm for the independent organic livestock marketing Group, based in Wales, who's members have taken the top four places over the past three years - with one exception in 2004.

This year's winners were Richard & Jane Powell of The Hall Farm, Llangenny, Crickhowell. They were delighted to have won against strong competition, as Richard said "The quality of organic lamb carcass is now directly comparable with non-organic lamb, which is the way it should be, so we are particularly pleased to have won first prize."

Commenting on the success, Graig Producers Director Nigel Elgar, himself an organic hill farmer said "There is no doubt that the quality of organic livestock has improved greatly over the past few years. Indeed, last year's winner of the organic competition (again a member of Graig Producers) went on to win overall Reserve Champion. As a collaborative marketing Group specialising in organic livestock, quality is something we have always championed. The old-fashioned idea that organic farmers cannot produce animals of comparable quality to non-organic is simply not true".

Managing Director of Graig Producers, Bob Kennard added "We strongly believe that as a collaborative marketing group, we can add a huge benefit to the supply chain, and the level of quality which we have demonstrated over the past few years in this competition is just one aspect of that added value".