Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Press Releases

October 24, 2005

Contact: Brent Buchanan, Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County, 315-379-9192

For jpg of Harvest Festival taste test, contact karalynn@gisco.net

Grass-Fed Beef Project Invites Area Residents to Participate in Quality Evaluation Survey

Canton, NY � Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County is inviting regional residents to participate in the ongoing evaluation of grass-fed Holstein beef produced locally as part of a research and feasibility study funded by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP). While production data exists for producing grain-fed Holstein beef, this NNYADP project is the first to look at producing high quality Holstein beef on an all-forage diet.

�This project is designed to evaluate consumer acceptance and the economics for beef produced locally on an all-grass diet. Several people who compared the grass-fed beef with traditional grain-fed beef at our September Harvest Festival said the grass-fed beef has a meatier, moist, more flavorful taste. We would like more feedback to add to our data and so we are now extending our taste testing with fresh, frozen cuts,� says project leader Brent Buchanan of Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.

Buchanan notes that no growth enhancers or feed-based antibiotics were used with the 30 cows turned out on pasture at the Extension Learning Farm in Canton. The beef has been processed to USDA inspection standards by Tri-Town Packing in Winthrop and is frozen primarily in two-serving packages of various cuts. The meat is also available for purchase in 20 pound, 50 pound and half-carcass lots.

�We are looking for regional households that would be willing to purchase samples of the beef, prepare it, and complete a short eight-question survey about the flavor and tenderness of the beef,� Buchanan explains.

The survey asks participants to identify how the beef is cooked and to indicate their preferred cuts, for example, roast, steak, hot dogs, sausage, jerky, etc. Buchanan is asking to have completed surveys returned by the end of the year.

For more information, contact Anita Morrill at Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County at 315-379-9192 x234.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a farmer-driven research and education program for St. Lawrence, Lewis, Jefferson, Franklin, Clinton, and Essex counties. The program offers fact sheets on various agricultural topics.  To view the list of topics and fact sheets, click here.