project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
2019-004-HAREKO “DISEÑO DE UNA ESTRATEGIA INTEGRAL PARA EL ABASTECIMIENTO CONTINUO DE CARNE DE VACUNO BAJO CERTIFICADO ECOLÓGICO”
Objectives
To design an integral strategy for the continuous supply of local organic beef in the Basque Country on supermarket shelves.
Activities
Task 1.1. Review of organic fattening in other Autonomous Regions of Spain.
Task 1.2. Design of pilot projects. Levels and forms of dynamisation and dissemination.
Task 2.1. Development of pilot project i (Rituerto).
Task 2.2. Development of pilot project ii (M. Crespo)
Task 2.3. Development of pilot project iii (Urkijo)
Task 2.4. Monitoring of pilot projects
Task 2.5. Beef analysis
Task 2.6. Data analysis and reporting
Task 3.1. Dynamisation and dissemination
Task 3.2. Coordination
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014ES06RDRP015 Spain - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - País Vasco
Location
- Main geographical location
- Álava
- Other geographical location
- Guipúzcoa, Vizcaya
EUR 99 028.00
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
3 Practice Abstracts
Faced with this situation, the members of GO HAREKO identified the need to design an integral and joint strategy between farmers for the continuous supply of organically certified beef to supermarket shelves. To achieve this objective, the GO aims to: (i) optimise production costs and seek a technical-economic optimum for this type of production, (ii) set up a coordinated work dynamic and collaboration between three farmers for a continuous supply of organic veal, and finally (iii) determine the nutritional quality of this type of meat (especially with regard to the nutritional profile of the meat).
meat (especially in terms of fatty acid profile and antioxidant capacity). To carry out all these objectives, the project has ENEEK (Regulatory Council of the Basque Country's organic production) as a collaborating partner and the support of ABERE S. Coop. (Federation of Agri-food Cooperatives of Araba).
When we ask ourselves why more organic farmers are not encouraged to close the cycle in their own veal farming, we find that they have certain difficulties such as: they are less economically efficient systems (mainly lower processing rates) than conventional ones, less fattened carcasses are obtained, they have a longer fattening period and a higher feed cost (Eguinoa and Huguet, 2004). All this means that it is not a very profitable activity for beef cattle farmers who have suckler cows in production under organic certification.
On the other hand, consumers are more and more concerned about their health and the environment, and they attach more and more importance to the way animals are reared from the point of view of both welfare and environmental impacts. Against this backdrop, organic meat production can be a good opportunity for an increasingly demanding and aware consumer, with a purchasing profile on supermarket shelves.
Organic production in the Basque Country has so far experienced limited development compared to other regions in Europe. Currently, only 1% of food consumption in the Basque Country is certified organic. Along these lines, and focusing on the meat sector in the Basque Country, only 14% of the meat consumed is produced, slaughtered and processed in the Basque Country, and 64% of the meat consumed is imported directly for consumption (Basque Government statistics bulletin, 2015).
These data highlight the room for improvement we have in the Basque Country for beef production and the need to work in collaboration with livestock farmers to promote this activity.
Focusing on organic beef production, there are currently different models of organic beef production in the Basque Country; (i) a few farms specialise in the production of organic beef on the farm itself and close the cycle with direct sale of a seasonal product in packages; (ii) while the majority are dedicated to rearing suckler cows organically and selling their calves as pasture. In this system, once the calves are weaned, they go to the conventional fattening circuit, losing the whole organic chain. Faced with this sector, the members of the HAREKO operational group (GO) identified the opportunity to look for alternative marketing channels for a continuous supply of organic meat from the Basque Country, by means of alliances between farmers.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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NATUARABA
Project coordinator
Project partners
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GOIMAR
Project partner
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HNOS MARTINEZ CRESPO SC
Project partner
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LEARTIKER
Project partner
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NEIKER
Project partner
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RAUL RITUERTO
Project partner
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ZIGOR URQUIJO
Project partner