Pork Checkoff - Niche Pork - Producer & Processors

Illinois Arnold Family Business

In the hills surrounding Elizabeth, Illinois, the fourth and fifth generations of the Arnold family farm can be found. Tom and Jessica Arnold started farming conventionally, but have since found success specializing in the niche- production of beef, hogs, pastured chicken and turkey, sheep, hay for horses, and firewood.

After several years of disappointing prices in the late 1980’s, the Arnolds decided to try marketing their products directly to consumers.

"We don't have a 'crop farm’,” said Tom. "Only a third of our acreage is tillable, with another third in timber and a third best suited for pasture. Livestock was the natural fit for our farm and a diversified mix still seemed appropriate. To do that we needed to have a unique product that could command a premium for the extra work involved. That led us to producing for a growing market that wanted meat from animals raised without antibiotics, hormones, or animal byproducts."

The Arnold’s started off advertising a few sides of pork in the paper. They then marketed a pork package, which increased sales quite a bit. From there, the Arnold’s started making handouts to mail and put in the public, and eventually created a Web site. With an increase in their customer base, they were able to offer individual cuts and find a market for most everything available from the carcass.

Tom himself also drives the 2.5 hours to Chicago, where Arnold’s market is the strongest, several times a month to deliver meat. He emails a newsletter with current products, prices, and delivery details to a customer list. Interested folks email back their order. The orders are filled from cuts stored at the farm and delivered to pick up points in Chicago area neighborhoods.

“The majority of our market is young, middle class families. They realize that when they buy bulk from us, cost is not as much of an objective, and they know exactly where and how the meat was raised. They also know that they can ask questions or visit the farm whenever they like,” Tom said.

The Arnold children, Vanessa, Cody and Andrew, are involved with marketing. They help service customers that stop out to the farm's on-site retail store by filling orders, including weighing the freezer-wrapped meat cuts, figuring up the total purchase cost, and lending a hand with the products to the customer's vehicle. They are also a unique source of information to customer's questions about the farm. Jessica assists in marketing and has a talent for brainstorming promotional ideas.

Besides the 50 head of pigs that the Arnolds sell directly to consumers, they also sell around 1,000 head each year to Niman Ranch Pork Coop, based in Thornton, IA.

For more information on the Arnold farm, visit their Web site at www.arnoldsfarm.com. The Arnolds can be reached at 815-858-2407 or at to arnoldfarm@juno.com.

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