Expanding independent processing for a more just and resilient agricultural future
Consolidation in the livestock industry has led to a decline in small, independent processing facilities and producers. Young and BIPOC farmers struggle to find options to bring their livestock to market, get a fair price for their product, and grow and expand their businesses. We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for their action plan for a fairer, […]
Good old-fashioned innovation in the Ithaca meat market
How do you increase farmers’ profits and consumers’ meat consumption without asking farmers or consumers to break the bank? In Ithaca, NY, Matt LeRoux, an agriculture marketing specialist at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, and Keri Bartlett of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County, set out to find answers, and the Meat Locker […]
Expanding Meat Processing Options for Beginning Farmers
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) raises important questions about the availability of slaughterhouses and processing plants for local meat producers and “…the extent to which these may constrain or support growth in demand for locally sourced meats.” The report looks at the types, locations, number, and other […]