Selling Grass-Fed Beef to College Market

View the project final report

Commodities

• Animals: bovine

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing - continuous, grazing - rotational
• Farm Business Management: new enterprise development, market study

Grass-based operations are proving to be economically advantageous for the farmer and environmentally benign when compared to more conventional operations, but many farmers have found that consumers who seek out grass-fed products typically purchase only premium cuts of meat. In the case of grass-fed beef, a farmer may be able to easily sell premium cuts such as steaks and roasts but have a good deal of hamburger left over. To keep a grass-fed operation economically viable, farmers need a ready market for grass-fed hamburger that keeps pace with the sales of premium cuts. We propose launching a comprehensive education and marketing campaign at Pennsylvania College of Technology using messages and images that resonant with students and encourage action to generate on-campus demand for grass-fed hamburger. We wish to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity to educate students about the nature of food production while creating a market that benefits farmers. In order to launch an effective education and maretking campaign, research is required to determine what messages resonant most with students with regard to local and grass-fed products. Research findings will be shared with farmers marketing to colleges across the northeast, as well as students, faculty and food service directors spearheading local food initiatives at their respective institutions.