New USDA study identifies local gaps in meat processing

By Wes Nelson

West Central Tribune
WILLMAR, Minn. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released a preliminary study revealing existing gaps within regional food systems regarding the availability of slaughter facilities for small meat and poultry producers.

The study, by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, is a first attempt to identify areas in the U.S. where small livestock and poultry producers are concentrated, but may not have access to a nearby slaughter facility.

An interesting feature of the study are maps that provide a county-by-county view of the continental United States, indicating the concentration of small farms raising cattle, hogs and pigs, and chickens. In addition, the maps also note the location of nearby state slaughter facilities, and small and very small federal slaughter establishments.

The USDA defines small slaughter establishments as those having between 10 and 499 employees, and very small slaughter establishments as having fewer than 10 employees, or less than $2.5 million in annual sales.

For the purpose of this study, small livestock and poultry producers are those who have annual sales of $250,000 or less.

To view the entire report, including the maps, visit the Food Safety and Inspection Service website at: www.fsis.usda.gov.