Borders Quality Beef
...breeders, rearers & finishers collaborating to add value 
Borders Quality Beef (BQB) is collaboration of over 20 farmers, who are working together to collectively produce and market beef products.
The venture was started 2001 with financial support from Scottish Enterprise Company and professional input from SAC, who helped organise and arrange initial meetings for the group as it was becoming established.
BQB is now a Ltd Company and is run by its farmer members. The farmer members collaborate in several ways:
Production collaboration: Specialist, rearers, breeders and finishers within the group have improved production efficiencies and product quality of beef produced through the group.
Marketing collaboration: Collective marketing of the beef produced means the group is able to offer a consist product at the right specification for the markets they supply. These include meat sales directly to the public, to wholesalers (including Dovecote Park who supplies Waitrose), local auction marts and to producers supplying at farmers markets.
Collaborating to buy inputs: Members also bulk buy their inputs through a machinery ring to reduce production costs. This means the group does not need to employ extra staff to manage this area of the business.
A sub-committee of eight group members was formed to make decisions on all of the above areas, on behalf of the rest of the group. This simplifies decision-making processes and frees up extra time for other members.
Key learning points
BQB has allowed all members to simplify and specialise their production systems to maximize efficiencies, make best use of their specific skills and interests and allows members extra management time to become better at what they do.
The ability to share ideas has hugely contributed to the success of BQB, by helping to improve production processes and continue to add value for the group. The group has also benefited from feedback from all stages of the chain.
Unique profit share deals on finishing cattle have been established between rearers and finishers. Members make savings of at least £70 per animal. The breakdown of these savings is as follows:
- Collaborative marketing, haulage and preparation for sale saves £30/head;
- Finishing cattle on arable farm saves 10p/day on feed or £20/head;
- Using a specialist finisher means animals are 10 kg heavier at sale, giving an added value of £10/head;
- Better knowledge of markets though sharing market information within group provides a 1p/kg better return or £6/head.
Share to Farm DVD clips have been produced by The Fred Production Company Ltd.
- The Share to Farm Initiative is sponsored by:
