Livestock farmers in Minnesota are facing limited meat processing access due to processor closures and fully booked processing appointments, according to a new report by the Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU), the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), “Solving the Meat Processing Workforce Bottleneck.”

The report’s authors interviewed 57 small- to medium-scale meat processors across the state. They found processors are at capacity and looking to hire long-term, reliable employees who could be trained to fit their business needs.

“We’re really struggling in the skilled labor section of the business — butchering, breaking down and processing. It’s a very skilled craft,” says one of the locker owners.

The authors make several recommendations in the report, including:

“Local meat processors have been disappearing from rural Minnesota. Sustaining these businesses and encouraging them to source locally is vital for livestock farmers to access the more-profitable direct sales markets,” says Paul Sobocinski, one of the report’s authors and a Redwood County Farmers Union member who raises livestock in southwestern Minnesota.

The report’s authors are farmers Sobocinski and Ted Suss; Don Arnosti, a local food connector; Maya Benedict, a former butcher shop operations manager and a graduate student at the University of Minnesota; and Courtney VanderMey, a grant specialist at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

A third of processors interviewed for the report have not started planning for future sale of their business, and many processors don’t know where to find help for such ownership transitions. In general, successful transitions have involved family members or internally trained employees.

Unique barriers, including language barriers and access to capital, exist for Latinos and other people of color who are interested in ownership of small locker plants.

“Latinos are already working hard in meat processing in rural communities across Minnesota. With a concerted effort to overcome unique barriers, this research shows that some would choose to work in, and own, small rural meat processing plants,” says Greg Schweser, Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships’ director of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems for U-MN Extension.

The report’s authors also note that the few local lockers in Minnesota that stock their retail counters primarily with locally sourced meat should be studied with an eye to replicating their success. This could be an important value-added opportunity for local livestock farmers in enhancing their fair share of food dollars.

Paul Hugunin, director of MDA’s Ag Marketing and Development Division, says the report will be used to inform ongoing agency work focused on retaining and expanding processing businesses.

“Livestock production in Minnesota is a vital aspect of our agricultural economy,” Schweser adds. “Ensuring robust and thriving local meat production, processing and supply chains requires a clear understanding of the challenges our processors are currently navigating. This comprehensive report takes a deep dive into their world and provides practical and actionable recommendations for supporting the future of local meat production in Minnesota.”

The study was funded by University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, with financial support from MDA and MFU.

Download the report at: misa.umn.edu/meat-processing-bottlenecks.

Source: Minnesota Farmers Union, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.