Small scale farm production is both a strength and weakness in Irish agriculture and, whatever its advantages, it has certainly made it particularly difficult for organic producers to compete efficiently with conventional farmers.
In 1989 Josef Finke, of nearby Ballybrado Farm, established Good Herdsmen Ltd at Cahir in order to coordinate the supply, processing and marketing of organic livestock in Ireland.
Josef has now retired but today, under the direction of John Purcell and Fnbarr McDonnell, Good Herdsman is the largest organic meat processor in Ireland and the UK, and coordinates the supply, processing and marketing of around 200 certified organic farmers, allowing organic Irish meats to take their place competitively in the chill cabinets of mainstream retailers.
