Beef

When preparing to show livestock in 4-H it can be overwhelming at times with the rules and guidelines that are found within the Maryland 4-H program and specifically in your individual county. If you take the time to read over the rules and guidelines and have open communication with your 4-H Extension Educator, 4-H Beef Department Superintendents and your Club Leader it becomes an easier process to ensure a positive experience.

Meat Marketing Planner: Strategic Marketing for Farm-to-Table Meat Enterprises addresses marketing beef, pork, lamb, and goat, but not poultry processing since it falls under different USDA, FSIS, and state regulations. While many of the key strategies discussed here can be applied to direct farm-to-consumer sales, this publication focuses on marketing farm-raised meats.

The Maryland Niche Meats & Poultry Producers Directory was developed jointly by the Maryland Niche Meat and Poultry Working Group and the Ag Marketing Program of University of Maryland Extension. This directory serves as a way to connect buyers, consumers, producers and market masters to fresh, high-quality farm-raised meats from Maryland producers. For ease of aggregating suppliers, this directory has been organized by product, though many producers offer multiple products. USDA on listing only applies to Beef, Bison, Chevon, Lamb, and Pork.

A Marketing Decision Tool and Guide for Grass-fed Beef is a resource guide that will assist grass-fed beef producers in formulating profitable marketing strategies. It is a decision tool to assist individual producers in making marketing decisions about what to produce; where/how/in what venue(s) outlets to market their product; and practical risk management strategies. This publication will help beef producers evaluate their individual operation on six factors that are barriers to entering a market - finding a niche, determining products and prices, meeting regulatory constraints, promoting and distributing prouducts, selling product, and managing risks. The guide is written in sections with decision making worksheets that can help producers identify their “best fit” grass-fed beef marketing opportunities. Individual producers can use the articles and resources that follow the decision worksheets to address possible barriers or lost opportunities within specific marketing venues. The information in this booklet is for educational use. It was written by Ginger S. Myers, Marketing Specialist, University of Maryland Extension and Director of the Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center. Publication of this workbook was made possible through support from the Jorgensen Foundation and the University of Maryland’s Department of Animal and Avian Sciences.