BAY MINETTE, Ala. – Cattle farmers from across the country will descend upon Bay Minette this weekend in what is being called the “first multi-breed grass fed cattle auction.”

The stock sale, hosted by Gulf Coast RC&D, will be held at the Carol Hodgson Mulltipurpose Arena, 43421 Pine Grove Road, in Bay Minette. The sale will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, but the gates will be open all day for people to view cattle.

The sale will feature grass fed cattle of numerous breeds from local farmers as well as cattle owners from Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas and New York.

The primary reason for the unique sale, according to Project Manager Kyle Baggett, is to help local farmers increase their presence in the “gourmet beef” arena, that is, beef obtained from grass-fed cattle.

“These are organic cattle. They have not been given any antibiotics, no steroids, they are purely grass fed,” James Phillips, chairman of the Carol Hodgson Arena board, said. “The idea is they get fat on grass, so they go from the slaughter to your table without chemicals or unnatural processes. It’s a leaner, healthier beef.”

He said growers from as far away as New York will be bringing their cattle to Bay Minette, where the city’s multi-purpose arena provided a clean, safe sale away from what could be considered contaminated cows.

“This is a seed stock sale, which means these cattle will be bought to be bred,” Phillips said.

The event is the brainchild of Bagget from Gulf Coast RC&D, and Baggett said he hopes the event will become an annual one.

According to the Gulf Coast RC&D Web site, www.gulfcoastrcd.org, “the Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program is a nation-wide U.S. Department of Agriculture program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“The purpose of the RC&D program is to accelerate the conservation, development and utilization of natural resources, improve the general level of economic activity, and to enhance the environment and standard of living in designated RC&D areas,” the site states.

The national RC&D program began in the 1960s, while the Gulf Coast council was founded in 1993.

Phillips said the sale is bringing national attention not only to the issue of organic beef, but to Bay Minette as well.

“Some of this cattle has been hauled slap across the country. We’re very fortunate to have this here,” he said.

Cattle farms participating:

Bent Tree Farms, Ft. Payne, Ala.

J-Janks Farms, Ft. Payne, Ala.

BB Farm, Bay Minette

J.G. Ranch, Amite, La.

Barry Fernambucq, Jemison, Ala.

Folly Farm, LLC, Pine Plains, N.Y.

Dixie Devons, Dixie, Ga. 

Holiday Ranch, Vernon, Fla.

Gallina Farms, Somerville, Tenn.

Rotokawa Cattle Co., Hardwick, Mass.

Millertown Senepols, Knoxville, Tenn.

Cadron Valley Farm, Greenbrier, Ark.

Oak Knoll Farm, Greenburg, La.

H&H Senepol, Dayton, Tenn.

Stillwater Farm, Opp, Ala.