This episode is the first of an occasional ATTRA: Voices from the Field series on Direct Marketing Meat. Linda Coffey, a livestock specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, follows up on a listener's question by interviewing fellow NCAT ATTRA livestock specialist Dave Scott and his wife, Jenny, about their direct-marketing meat business, Montana Highland Lamb.
Linda works out of NCAT's Southeast Regional office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Dave is on the staff at NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana.
Although the listener was asking about lamb, and both Dave and Jenny produce lamb, this series will be useful for anyone direct marketing meat.
Dave and Jenny discuss their business and how it evolved, how to produce an excellent product and reach out to customers, how to keep customers, and the pros and cons of various marketing venues they've used. They talk about their partnership, and how important it is to have help – it's not a one-person show. And they share lessons learned.
The next episode of ATTRA: Voices from the Field will address the important topic of processing as the Direct Marketing Meat series continues.
For more information on this topic, you can contact Dave Scott at daves@ncat.org and Linda Coffey at lindac@ncat.org.
Related ATTRA Resources:
Direct Marketing Lamb: A Pathway
Putting a Hand on Them: How to Tell When Your Lamb is Finished (Publication)
Putting a Hand on Them: How to Tell When Your Lamb is Finished (Video)
Lamb Cut Guide for Direct Marketers
Creating an Excellent Relationship with Your Lamb Processor
The Lambulator: A Cut-Yield Calculator
ATTRA YouTube Channel, Livestock and Pasture
Working with Your Meat Processor
Other Resources
Montana Highland Lamb Facebook
Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.
You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.
You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.
Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.
Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!
Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook
Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook
Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook
