In mid-July we hosted the “Direct-to-Consumer Beef Webinar Series” with several partners including the University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Sciences, Kentucky Beef Council, and several others. We offered this series to respond to the conversation and education around proper production, processing, business development, marketing, and sales for finished beef.

A few of the noteworthy takeaways from the webinar series are listed below:

1. Start small: Most beginning producers need to start relatively small by raising a couple head of beef and selling to close friends who will give genuine feedback before expanding their herd. Take this time to dial in on preferred methods of production, calculate costs, develop marketing materials, and a target market.

2. Focus on quality: Whether choosing a production method that is grass-fed, grain on grass, or grain-based, make sure to develop a feeding program to achieve production goals and supply a balanced diet. Calculate an average daily rate of gain based on the production method and spot-check performance by weighing cattle on scales. Connect with a cooperative extension county agent or beef specialist to learn more and work on a nutrition plan. Another indicator of quality is the Grade at processing (Prime, Choice, Select). The Kentucky Proud Meat Grader Program offers producers the opportunity to get their meat graded by a USDA-certified meat grader and the fee can be cost-shared. While small-scale producers may not need to get their beef graded each year, it is a great resource to check a herd’s performance as feeding programs and genetics improve over the years. 

3. Offer clear customer communication & expectations: The target customer – whether it’s a chef, a retail location, or a family who wants a freezer of beef – will impact a beef business in no small way. Marketing materials must be tailored to the customer. There’s no need to start from scratch. The Kentucky Beef Council has several free resources online geared towards households, restaurants, and foodservice. Read this publication to know how much meat can be expected from a beef carcass and consider getting a copy of The Meat Buyer’s Guide if the target customer is chefs.

Find recordings of the Direct-to-Consumer Beef Webinar Series here. Be sure to reach out with any questions or to get started on your business plan today by contacting KCARD at kcard@kcard.info or at 859-550-3972.