Organic beef farming in a practical booklet (BIO4BEEF)

Cattle farmers wishing to produce organic beef need practical, well-structured and accurate information of various kinds. At the request of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, ILVO and Ugent developed a practical booklet that can serve as a manual for organic beef cattle farmers (or farmers in conversion). The booklet gives answers on practical questions about legislation on organic farming, cattle breeds and their needs, organic cultivation and feed, carcass and meat quality, sales market and profitability. 

ILVO has put together a steering committee consisting of organic beef cattle farmers and organisations that work for the organic sector. The members all suggested questions and problems that the booklet must address. ILVO and Ugent based the content on local information, information from abroad, and practical experiences of livestock farmers. 

The useful, practial result of BIO4BEEF is a practical synthesis for organic beef farmers. The booklet makes it easier for farmers to approach conversion to organic production. The steering committee gave feedback on the booklet before it was delivered to the Flemish Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. The booklet was first launched and publicized in an interactive webinar on January 26th, 2022, in collaboration with BioForum.