organic pork in Ireland: Crowes, Tipperary

Of all the sectors within organic farming in Ireland, pork is perhaps the least developed. There are a number of reasons for this.

Relatively cheap imports from Denmark are hard to compete with. I have spoken to organic specialists who have been to Danish organic pig units. They tell me that while these units may be technically organic, they are very industrialised operations.

This industrialisation of production gives the Danes, with a long tradition in pork exports, the scale to export organic to Ireland. Animals welfare standards as regards space and ability to root are pushed to the max, but within the allowable rules.

Thus, most organic rashers and sausages available in supermarkets in Ireland comes from Denmark, as close label reading will reveal.

Despite the competition from cheap imports, some innovative pioneers are just beginning to put their heads above the precipice.

One such farmer is Tipperary-based John Paul Crowe. The Crowe name is already synonymous with quality Irish rashers and suasages: �our conventional sausages have 82% meat, which is fairly high by any standards� John Paul's brother TJ Crowe tells me.

There are three brothers in the Dundrum-based business: John Paul, Ned and TJ. TJ and Ned manage the on farm processing unit, where the sausages are made, while John Paul takes care of the farm.

They farm 133 acres, 80 of which is owned, the rest rented. Organic certification came in December of last year for the mixed enterprise of Angus beef, feed crops and pigs.

I asked John Paul why he wanted to go organic: �I would have been thinking organic, I love my food, and wouldn't have been using much chemical fertilizer anyway. So I looked into it, and found that, for me, it wouldn't have been a major change. Also, we have our own processing unit.�

JP is confident that if he gets the breed feed balance right, the consumer will pay a bit more for a better product.

To begin with on his organic pig journey, JP is crossing various artisan breeds and assessing traits, including consistency, efficiency, eating quality, hybrid vigor and the overall consumer appeal.

At the moment, he is working with Glouster Old Spot, Duroc, Hampshire and Landrace. He gives me an example of how he tries to balance the various considerations. � Sunburn can be an issue. While we do have plenty of wallows and shaded areas, here, which helps, Hampshire have a black coat which prevents sunburn. However research in England is saying that the consumer is not too partial to black hair. So its a balance�.

JP intends to produce 8-10 pigs per week from 20 sows. While there is a niche, inevitably, the market is price sensitive because of the Danish competition:

�The cost of feed is an issue, at 580-600E a tonne� TJ tells me. �I'm working with a number of organic farmers to source feedstuff to keep cost down. I'm feeding organic whey, oats and veg The whey comes from St. Tola [organic goat cheese makers] and the veg from Philip Drapier. I can get the veg and whey cheaper that bought in feed, and it gives the final product a great flavour!

Along with this, John Paul is also growing his own oats and peas this year, to have his own feed.

Proud of the quality of the feed he uses, he points out that �you need efficiency, but not enhanced feeds. They need a good balanced feed and space to root in the soil. Then you don't need to inject them with iron at 3 days old, as is done in conventional�.

Interestingly enough, according to John Paul �A lot of people are looking for two pigs to rear from: �if I surplus to sell I would have a lot sold. That died off in the past few years, but people now want to keep their own pigs for meat� he tells me.

For more on the Crowe's on farm organic pig processing unit, see my feature in the upcoming edition of Organic Matters.