For Darryl Williams and Mark Kuglin, the whole venture started with a simple question: if they could sell a bunch of local beef to supply food for some festivals in Ottawa, why couldn't they market and sell local beef to local consumers?

With that question, Grey-Bruce Beef was born. As owners of a feed company that supplies both horse and beef farmers, Williams and Kuglin know better than anybody the struggles of the local beef farmers.

Their idea stemmed from a contract they received to supply hamburger patties to Ottawa for its various summer festivals. They approached local beef producers to fill the orders. Afterwards, they wondered why they couldn't directly supply the local market like they had Ottawa.

It's their goal to change the way local consumers purchase their beef products. Williams and Kuglin started Grey-Bruce Beef to specifically market local beef to local consumers and butcher shops.

They have been on an advertising blitz recently to raise awareness and encourage beefeaters to buy a local product. Locally, the Sirloin Cellar has signed up and has Grey-Bruce Beef available for purchase.

The have several goals with their new venture. First and foremost is to help the area's struggling farmers. They also want to prove to the local population that a local alternative for beef products is available. In addition, a strict feeding regiment for the animals they process is designed to ensure that their beef if healthy and tasty. Their beef recently received a Health Check endorsement from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

They have managed to sign up beef producers across both counties. They have several producers in Grey Highlands, Meaford and The Blue Mountains supplying them with beef.

"We need the public to get on the band wagon for this and to understand what we're doing," Williams said in an interview with The Express last week.

"It started with a question. Is it possible we can keep our beef in the local area and market? It has blossomed from their with farmers joining the program. There's been a real groundswell," he said.

Their key point is that the meat they sell is local. Kuglin explained that animals in their program stick to a strict regiment for how they're fed and raised. Cattle on the program are naturally grain-fed, they are hormone-free, they are antibiotic-free and they are implant-free. All producers of the All County Feed Program comply with strict on-farm audited feed, husbandry and animal management guidelines.

All producers must be certified with the Quality Starts Here - Verified Beef Program sponsored by the Ontario Cattlemen's Association.

All cattle are raised locally, they are sent to local processors, using local transport companies. The meat produced is also marketed to the health conscious. The meat is leaner and falls within the 100-Mile Diet.

"It's a quality product. I've eaten it for over 10 years and I won't eat anything from the store," said Kuglin. "We're trying to do our part to preserve a way of life here. Farmers are the heroes. They have been taking all these knocks for years," he said.

Profitability for the farmer is the key goal of the program. By going directly to the farmers for beef Williams and Kuglin are eliminating the layers of middlemen usually required to get cattle from the farm to the market. They have already processed over 100 cattle so far and have seen demand for the product rise as awareness increases.

"The farmers are making a decent profit per animal. Those that have seen it are believers. We want to continue to flow profitability to the farmers," said Williams.

"Our farmers are entitled to a decent profit for a good product," Kuglin added.

For more information, or to place an order, click the link provided for the company website.  

Potential customers can also call 519-986-7444 for more information about the program.