Experience from the drought has given organic pork producers a valuable insight into how to better plan production in future tough times.

While drought has challenged farmers struggling to feed livestock with limited available feed, for organic pork producers the task has been monumental.

Organically certified feed is almost as rare as hen’s teeth.

Jack and Miriam Neilson of Pasture Perfect Pork near Inverell found it took a determined approach to keep their pigs fed. "Good quality feed certainly became difficult to source and the price for certified organic grain was up to 50 per cent more than conventional feed," Ms Neilson said.

"In future we aim to produce good quality silage and grow and store grain on-farm.

"We’re planning to grow mung beans and sorghum in summer and barley in winter and will be increasing our grain storage facilities as we can afford to."

Certified with Organic Food Chain, the Neilsons previously sold pork from their 120 sow Berkshire herd at farmers’ markets but have found that meant too much time away from the farm.

"Our main markets are suburban butchers and organic processors including Cleaver’s Organic Meat Company in Sydney and Forest Glen Organic Meats on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland."

Ms Neilson said the choice of Berkshires came down to a number of factors including their mothering abilities and tolerance to both heat and cold, which allows them to prosper in free-range conditions.

"Being a black pig, they are suited to outdoor life as they don’t burn and with a high inter-muscular fat content their meat stays moist and flavoursome during cooking."

The Neilsons consider themselves fortunate to have 73 hectares of land irrigated from the Severn River and Pindari Dam.

"We are putting in permanent water lines, which will add to the security of our supply and keep the water cooler."

Berridale farmers, Colin and Cheryl Mould, too, have taken on the challenge of maintaining organic pork production during the drought.

"Although pasture has been scarce we have been able to incorporate lucerne hay into the grain mix," Mr Mould said.

"We have an arrangement with an organic farmer at Yenda who is now supplying our grain and in future we will be far more proactive in locking in grain supplies."

With a mix of predominately Large White, Hampshire and Berkshire bloodlines, the Moulds run almost 200 pigs on their Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) certified organic farm.

"We haven’t had any problems with sunburn as the adults are keen to wallow in mud and we have had very few health problems since going organic."

According to Mr Mould the logistics of time and distance in marketing organic pork have been their greatest challenge.

"The 12 to 16 pigs we sell per fortnight are slaughtered at either Moruya or Young for delivery to our main markets - restaurants and butcher shops in Canberra and Sydney.

"We would like to supply regional markets but transport links are centralised to service the metropolitan areas," he said.

"Our pigs vary from suckers to 90 kilogram carcases which we prefer to forward sell to regular clients."