>On Wed, Dec 28, 2011 at 10:12 AM, Ben Liberman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > At 10:11 PM -0600 12/27/11, Ben Liberman wrote:
> > My primary suppliers are Ted Slanker (http://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com/) and US Wellness (http://www.grasslandbeef.com/).
>>
>> I expect that, in time, economy of scale will reduce production costs for local producers, and market costs for the consumer.  I do not expect to have any problem finding local sources at reasonable prices in another 5 to 10 years.


At 10:36 AM -0500 12/28/11, Allan Balliett wrote:
>You have to keep in mind that feedlot beef and grain feeds are heavily
>subsidized by the US government making the inputs cheaper for feedlot
>cattle than for pastured animals. The cost of land is high and most
>grazers need at least an acre per beef to be able to bring it to size
>in 18mos time. Grass finished beef does not get subsidies but is tied,
>in perception, to prices set by subsidized products. At the same time,
>grass finished beef do not put on as much weight in a given period of
>time as do grain finished, making the product even more expensive to
>the producer. At the same time, grass finished beef is REAL FOOD and
>feedlot beef contributes to human illness as well as to environmental
>degredation.  (The cow farts that are contributing to global warming
>come from feedlot beef, not grass beef)


I thought that you might find this interesting.  It is information written by a grass fed producer.

http://texasgrassfedbeef.com/improving_the_margin.htm
http://texasgrassfedbeef.com/id72.htm

Quote from first link:

"Just because a producer raises grass-fed beef he should not expect a major premium price for his product.  His primary benefit comes from having a market for a product he can raise for less than it costs to raise grain-fed cattle.  In other words, raising grass-fed beef is a margin enhancing business."