Summary
The contract solution includes a value-chain contract between the Wild Farm and a distributor – Bio Balev supermarkets. The farmers also have a contract with the government – the Ministry of agriculture and forests – for support on organically raised cattle. The farm is situated in the South Central region in Rhodope Mountains. The product is organically certified beef which is raised the whole year on natural meadows with high biodiversity features. The hay during the months with low food supplies comes from alpic mountain hay meadows, which are maintained in conservational manner by the farmers. Apart from having an important soil protection and water regulation role they are a valuable source of feed for the cattle. A number of higher plants with conservation status can be encountered on those meadows.
Objectives
- Conservation of local biodiversity of rare breeds and ornithological species;
- Practicing animal welfare principles and whole year free grazing of the cattle (half of the year in high mountain pastures);
- Popularization of Bulgarian organic beef meat.
Public Goods
Problem description
The demand for Bulgarian meat with high quality increased during the last decade, as well as the need for organically clean products. The Wild farm concentrated its effort in producing meat and other supplementary products in a environmental-friendly way so that the demand for natural Bulgarian products can be met. At the moment those farms which are engaged in organic husbandry in Bulgaria mainly export their animals due to the lack of certified slaughterhouses for organic meat. The Wild Farm opened their own slaughterhouse at the end of 2018 which was the first one certified for organic meat in Bulgaria. Part of the animals in the farm includes local rare breeds which contribute to the conservation of local biodiversity. The farm is also situated in a high-nature value site with ornithological significant Egyptian vulture which is a globally endangered species. Therefore one of the mission of the farmers is to implement as many as possible conservation measures (including pesticide free agriculture, maintenance of their pastures consistent with the nesting regime of local bird species, etc.) in order to support the local biodiversity.The initiative was led by the Wild Farm.
