It’s a common phrase: “The whole is worth more than the sum of its parts.” USDA’s Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance(MPPTA) program clearly demonstrates that statement’s validity. Three years ago, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service pulled together a diverse and divergent group of organizations to provide no-cost technical assistance for new and expanding smaller meat […]
A common question from consumers is often related to identifying a blue or purple color on their product surface. When purchasing boxed meat, and especially beef, it is not uncommon to find blue smudges on the fat surface. This blue color is most likely a food grade ink that was applied to the exterior of […]
Scrolling through social media in down-time can be a common habit. While some have chosen to leave social media outlets, there is still a large portion of the population that use various social media platforms to catch up on friends, family, sports updates, or faith. However, using social media should come with a disclaimer to […]
Buying meat in bulk from a local producer or locker can be an overwhelming and cumbersome undertaking for your customers. In addition to sourcing available product, there are a number of other considerations and preparations your customers may need to consider before fully committing including funding the investment, knowing how to fill out a cut […]
When consumers walk to a store to purchase meat, what’s the first thing that catches their eye? Most likely, meat color is an important quality attribute influencing purchasing decisions. Of course, marbling and price play an important role in decision-making. It is human psychology to relate color with the wholesomeness or freshness of food products. […]
Once an important source of income for meat processors, the value of hides has fallen since 1980. Now, smaller processors without access to rendering services often have no option besides landfill disposal of hides and other meat processing byproducts. The labor, transportation and landfill charges cut further into the already tight operating margins of smaller […]
Belonging to your state’s meat processors association (or a nearby state if your state does not have an association) is a great way to increase your knowledge about the industry, gain insight into new technologies, and have a network of colleagues at your fingertips to help brainstorm whatever issues come your way. So why should […]
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 […]
It is hunting season, and many small lockers take the opportunity to shift the business model to processing venison. First a few reminders on food safety when processing deer… Now on to economics and making a profit during venison processing season. Many of your customers likely want jerky. And some will complain at the amount […]
Ground beef quality was a mandate and expectation by customers my entire career which included working at companies that made very large quantities of ground beef daily, then after decades of learnings, it turned into a passion! Ground beef quality may be the single best indicator of a production plant’s microbial and sanitation performance. While […]