NATIONAL AWARDS FOR NORTHUMBERLAND FARMER'S ORGANIC BEEF AND LAMB (Dec 2004)

Northumberland hill farmer Steve Ramshaw and his company, Northumbrian Quality Meats, have won national awards for the quality of their organic meats in the 2004 Organic Food Awards run by the Soil Association.

The meat produced by Steve and marketed through his company won a Highly Commended prize for their organic Aberdeen Angus beef and a Commended award for their organic Blackface lamb.

The Organic Food Awards celebrate the very best of organic foods available throughout the UK and attracts competition from the leading multiple and speciality food suppliers. Among the judges in this year's competition were Raymond Blanc, Georgio Locatelli and Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall.

Steve, who farms 750 acres at Monkridge Hill, near Otterbum, in the uplands of Northumberland, said: "It is a pat on the back for me to be given awards of this level. I am committed to producing the highest quality beef and lamb from our farm. It is also a great credit and boost to our staff on the farm and in the butchery for their continuing commitment and hard work. I feel privileged to work alongside people with such a positive attitude."

Northumbrian Quality Meats was set up some six years ago. It has been previously featured in Rick Stein's Food Heroes book and has been highlighted on many occasions as a business successfully adapting to the changes in agriculture.

Meats from the Northumbrian Quality Meats range can be obtained from leading speciality food shops from Berwick to Piercebridge, near Darlington, and is served in some of the North's top restaurants, including Cafe 21, Queen Street, Newcastle.

More information about the product range is available on www.northumbrian-organic-meatco.uk or by phoning 01434 270184.

Monkridge Hill Farm, which also won the award as the country's top beef and sheep farm in the producer's section in the competition, is situated in the Northumberland uplands near Otterbum. It is a 750-acre hill unit carrying 400 Scottish Blackface ewes and 40 Aberdeen Angus cows.

Organic store cattle and sheep of the right breeds and quality are also finished to maintain throughput.

The farm has been farmed organically for six years during which time demand for high quality organic meats has grown, so much so that Steve is building a new butchery on the farm at considerable cost to cope with the demand for Ns produce.

He will also process organic meat for other farmers within the area, allowing them to add value to their own produce. The producer award was given to Steve for his ongoing commitment to organic farming, conservation and sustainability of the farm's management system.

All the livestock produced on the farm is sold through the meat company, with the exception of the breeding ewe lambs and tups.

Steve Ramshaw is a director of Northumbria Larder, the regional food and drink group.