Group marketing, or co-operative collaboration, is delivering a precious premium in this time of drought, but is the exercise worth the effort?
More than 80 cattle producers along the northern New England are united under the banner of Ebor Beef and together bring scales of economy to their enterprise.
As a group they co-operatively market 13,000 feeder steers a year, dealing with up to 14 processors and 17 different feedlots.
The group charges a flat rate per head from its members and employs its own agent, Sam Ditchfield, who supplies weekly market information.
Sales on AuctionsPlus have proven successful with 7000 head sold through the application last year.
The scale of the united marketing group helps deliver its success with correct loads making best use of transport.
"As a group we're not digging into our lighter cattle to make up a load," Mr Ditchfield said.
"My producers are informed and understand markets so they can make better decisions," he said.
"I have more time to maintain a relationship with the processor and as a group we establish that relationship. We want producers and processors to know each other."
Norland Pastoral at Moree is supplying 130 head a month into NH Foods' own brand "Weebollabolla est. 1873" with consumers targeted in China. Key to consistent production at scale is the ability to buy progeny from their own bulls.
"NH Foods use their supply chain contacts, we use ours," Weebollabolla's Jen Jeffreys said.
"We don't have time to play the meat game - we are cattle producers.
"We are merely supplying another market for our bull clients. We know our genetics are in the top one per cent MSA beef graded in Australia - you don't need to pay $8000 for a bull to do that; our clients that consistently pay $4000 are achieving this.
"However the current drought and pressure on cow herds and sourcing commodity for the feedlot while maintaining seedstock genetics is becoming cost prohibitive."
On the Upper Manning, at Rawdon Vale, Angus breeder Cam Laurie helped establish the marketing group Barrington Beef in the mid 1990s and witnessed its rise during a time when 26 members could supply anti-biotic free and pasture raised cattle in semi-trailer loads for Queensland processors, who offered a bit more money.
"Trouble was we were never big enough to employ someone to do our marketing," Mr Laurie said.
"Everything was done on a volunteer basis. We were doing a lot more work and not getting that much further ahead.
"Now I believe it's about cutting people in on the deal, not cutting them out.
"We are happy to spend 4pc on an agent because we know he does a good job and we can concentrate on doing what we do best, and that is to produce beef."
