—- this post was originally published on AMSA’s website —-
Overcapacity.
Several ag trade journals have mentioned recently that the nation’s shrinking cattle herd has transformed the shortage of processing capacity into excess capacity within the past two years.
I see the situation a bit differently. Since March 2022, I’ve traveled to more than 30 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands as part of the Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance (MPPTA) network that USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service established to support new and expanding smaller processors. I’ll vouch that there’s no overcapacity in places like Pigeon Falls, WI; Columbia Falls, MT; or Craig, CO.
Without the new or expanded facilities in these areas, neighboring ranchers would still be scheduling appointments months in advance at facilities more than 100 miles distant. The growth of these processors not only provides local jobs but also strengthens access to healthy food in their communities, painting a promising picture for the future.
Falls Meat Service in Pigeon Falls is a prime example. As owners Tim and Stephanie Bruggen utilized a Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness grant to help become a USDA-inspected facility, they upgraded their retail area into a small grocery store where residents can buy staples and other locally produced food in addition to fresh meat and pork.
In Columbia Falls, MT, the MPPTA program is working with local ranchers to purchase a small facility scheduled for closure and transform it into a USDA-inspected producer-owned cooperative. In Craig, CO the MPPTA program is helping owners Deborah and Cam Fitch implement a Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program grant to develop a new facility capable of processing 100 head of cattle per day. The list goes on.
At the outset, the technical assistance network helped smaller processors access the federal funding opportunities made available through USDA. Those processors need continued assistance securing additional financing, developing value-added products, utilizing byproducts, developing HACCP plans, and more. The Meat Locker is only one example of the breadth of resources available within this network.
The MPPTA network is available at no cost through the end of 2026. Getting started is as easy as clicking on this link and submitting a request for technical assistance. We’re here to help.
Dave Carter,
Regional TA Provider Director