Prairie Provides logo creates an innovative option for niche beef marketing

Their intention will therefore be to continue with the implementation of the logo and to make it available to other producers, but details will still have to be worked out, including the issue of funding.

He felt the cooperation between SODCAP and SSGA is essential to ensure the success of such a branding initiative.

“It’s going to be a handful of producers that want to actually direct market, because it’s a little bit of extra work than just selling your calves in the fall at the auction barn or through other selling auctions,” he said.

“So it’s going to be a specialty thing, but there are more and more producers that are coming to us that are interested in this.”

The use of the Prairie Provides logo will only be feasible if there is a consumer demand for beef that helps to conserve native prairie and species at risk. SSGA commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the perceptions of Saskatchewan consumers about farmer direct beef.

The online survey was carried out by Insightrix Research, a Saskatoon based survey company. The survey was completed by 1,000 Saskatchewan residents in February 2020.

The survey findings indicate that about one fifth of beef consumers will purchase specialty beef, which refers to meat products with special marketing claims about the environment.

Most of these consumers (74 per cent) are willing to pay a premium for specialty beef, and 65 per cent want to support the conservation of species at risk in the native prairie with their purchase. This indicates there is a niche market for this type of beef in the province.