For more than a year, a group of Shenandoah Valley beef farmers has been meeting regularly to work toward a shared goal: forming a cooperative that will allow them to produce, process and market their beef to consumers looking for local, responsibly raised meat.
It’s an idea that many farmers are quick to get behind, as they expect demand for local, sustainable beef will mean better profit margins.
“We’re hoping that it will bring the farmers a little more income for their beef,” said Betty Fox, who raises cattle with her husband, Eugene, north of Luray, Va.
The Foxes are among the nearly 100 people on the Shenandoah Valley Beef Cooperative’s mailing list, which includes farmers, suppliers, veterinarians and others in the beef industry.
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