District farmer looking to capitalize on organic market

Amos Brielmann is a gambler. Actually, he is a farmer, which, by definition, makes him a gambler.
Like everyone in the beef industry, he is struggling to overcome the devastating fallout from the BSE crisis in Canada, but at the same time, he is looking ahead.
Yesterday, the Rainy River Soil and Crop Improvement Association stopped in at Brielmann’s farm near Pinewood to witness a long-term project which, he hopes will result his being able to capitalize on what he sees as a growing market—organic farming.
On his 140-acre spread near Pinewood, Brielmann is currently running about 80 head of beef cattle in a rather unique setup.
The pasture is alive with the colourful flowers of red clover, trefoil, and alfalfa. That’s all—no fertilizers, no pesticides, no herbicides.
“I’m seeking official organic status,” Brielmann explained to a group of about a dozen people who went on the tour.
“In order to do that, the field must be completely free of fertilizers and chemicals for at least three years,” he added.
The field in question has not had a single application of any substance—including manure—since 1996. Brielmann seeded it in 1997 and just let it go.
Since then, he has been pasturing his cattle on it exclusively and cutting some hay for winter feed. As a result, his animals will also qualify as organic-certified in two more years if all goes well.
Why go to all that trouble? Brielmann said that beef that is certified as organically-grown currently commands a premium of about 50 cents per pound and if all goes well, that premium may well increase as more and more consumers are choosing the organic option.
One of the people on the tour commented there is a definite difference in the flavour of grass-fed beef compared to grain-fed and given a choice, he would opt for the latter.
But at the moment, the profit incentive is marginal.
“I’d like to see the premium go to at least a dollar (per pound),” Brielmann noted.
Of course, there is a down side. Grass-fed cattle require at least four additional months to reach market weight and if any of them become sick and require drugs, all bets are off. But the potential pay-off is tempting, as long as he can ride out the current storm in the beef industry.
Brielmann went on to define “organic beef”.
“In order to qualify, the animals must be on certified organic pasture and hay. Also, a cow must be on it for at least her last trimester in order for the calf to be certified.”
Brielmann said his cattle will be ready for certification in another two years, by which time he hopes market trends will bring the higher premium for organic cattle he is counting on. In the meantime, he must stick to the program to maintain his organic status.
That means Brielmann must manage his pasture carefully. He must make sure he has sufficient feed to see his animals through all the way from birth to slaughter, because if he runs short of feed, he cannot simply buy some from a neighbour. That is why he has a special setup.
This particular field is divided into eight segments, separated by temporary electric fences. He allows the animals to graze one segment to a certain level, and then moves them on to the next one. This is accomplished by simply removing the electric fence between the sections and driving them in before replacing the fence.
This way, he can rotate his pastures and allow them the time to recover between grazes. It also provides him with enough extra to take off one or two hay crops for winter forage.
One of the problems with rotating pastures is providing water for the animals. Brielmann has solved this by placing his trough in the centre of the field, where it is accessible from any sector. The trough is fed by pipes running to a pumphouse located across the road and the water level is maintained automatically by a float, which opens and closes a valve—much the way a toilet operates.
In another pasture several miles away, he has the field divided into two sectors. One section has been grazed and trampled down by another herd of cattle. With the help of the tour participants, Brielmann moved the herd to the adjacent field, which has been untouched since early spring.
Since then, it has been allowed to regenerate naturally. Here, he also plans to harvest at least two cuttings for winter forage. In order to accomplish this while still allowing his cattle to graze, he practices what he calls, “taking half, leaving half.”
“Next year, I’m only going to graze it once, then let it go until August,” he said, indicating one of the two fields.
The field was originally seeded with alfalfa, trefoil and some grasses, but since then, red clover has made strong inroads. Red clover is classified as a legume, which means it fixes nitrogen and provides natural nutrients for the companion grasses.
However, since it is a biennial plant, red clover must be replanted every two years, or be allowed to seed itself naturally. That is why Brielmann will give that field a rest until August next year, by which time the red clover will have set seed.
By adopting these practices, Brielmann is positioning himself to take advantage of a special niche in the market. Success will depend to a certain extent on when the U.S. border opens to Canadian cattle and when the district abattoir is up and running.
If he is right, he is well ahead of the curve. If not, he will lose money. In two years, he will know if his gamble pays off.