You probably did not get into meat processing to become a marketer. You got into it for the craft, the products, and the customers who keep coming back. But whether you think of it as marketing or not, your business is marketing every day through your website, your front counter, your social media, the way […]
For 79 years, the American Meat Science Association’s Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) has brought together researchers, educators, processors, students, and industry professionals to exchange ideas, share research, and discuss the future of the meat industry. While not everyone can attend in person, AMSA believes the science should be shared more broadly. That is why we created RMC Exchange. This […]
After years of stressing over who to hire, how to hire, and how to train people well, we learned the hard way that a solid onboarding system is not optional, it is essential. Since we began intentional onboarding and training, new hires are gaining skills and confidence far faster than ever before. Many tasks once […]
Max and Jeanette McLean started retailing their own beef from the M Farms feedlot in 1999, selling two to three head a month out of deep freezers in the scale house. When COVID‑19 hit, their local processor became booked almost two years in advance, and McLean’s long‑time customers kept asking for beef. At that point, […]
The ability to apply grades to beef carcasses has long been too expensive for small processors. However, since piloting a program in 2023, with a larger rollout in 2024 the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has made remote grading of beef carcasses possible. Processors can contact USDA AMS to become part of the program. A […]
Meat supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic spurred investment by the federal government to diversify and strengthen the meat supply chain. Over the past four years, there have been several grant programs made available from USDA to support local and regional meat processors. The final grant opportunity from those funds is now accepting applications. […]
Pineapple is a high‑impact inclusion in globally inspired snack sticks but also a common source of unexpected bind failure. The Answer at a Glance Granulated pineapple weakens bind because dissolved sugars and coatings compete for moisture around the inclusions, reducing protein extraction and cohesion. Fortunately, through recent testing, we have developed an easy fix: Add […]
The Nebraska Association of Meat Processors recently wrapped up their annual state convention in Lincoln, NE. As the busy week drew to a close, I was thinking about the value of the conference and cured meat products competitions. Small processors work hard to perfect their processed meat products. The list of possibilities is nearly endless […]
In the world of meat and poultry production, some of the most important safety tools at work are also some of the least visible. While many are familiar with standard hygiene practices and cold chain protocols, antimicrobial ingredients often operate quietly behind the scenes, playing a crucial role in protecting food from harmful pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. These ingredients help […]
It’s 1:07 a.m., your midnight coffee has gone from hot to helpless, and the new sausage recipe you plan to roll out still needs a HACCP plan for the inspector to review in the morning. You don’t have time to wade through a textbook or wait for a consultant to call back — you need […]