It's a premium market. We feel that's the niche that's going to establish us. The lamb growers have been trying to organize a co-op processing venture for five years, partly under the leadership of Ole Erickson. The Dakota Lamb Growers Co-op was officially formed a year ago. Since January, the group polled its 125 members and found 45 willing to try natural production, representing 10,000 lambs of the 25,000 total available through the co-op.
Documentation has to occur prior to the time the lamb crop is born.
Extra efforts The natural lamb regimen means some management changes. Without antibiotic protection, for example, the lambs have to be kept warm and dry so they stay healthy. Eagleson's son, Mark, owns a sheep flock and is a member of the lamb co-op. Dakota Country Meats is a full-service meat processor for wholesale and retail markets. Dakota Lamb Growers Cooperative started about a year ago.