Virtual town hall to feature discussion on local meat processing, Jan 27

LYONS, NEBRASKA – The Center for Rural Affairs will host the virtual town hall, “A Meat Sector That Works for Nebraska’s Farmers, Processors, and Customers,” from 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 27.

“In Nebraska, there is a growing interest in finding ways to make our meat industry work better for folks here in the state,” said Nathan Beacom, senior policy associate for the Center. “By expanding the capacity of our independent processors and making it easier for customers to purchase meat from the farmer up the road, we can benefit everyone involved.”

Speakers for the virtual town hall will include a farmer, processor, and policy experts, including Paula Peterson, a cattle producer and Brent Winfield, owner of Aurora Meat Block.

Among the topics will be Legislative Bill 324, introduced by Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth. The bill would create the Independent Processor Assistance Program, which provides a roadmap for increasing local processing capacity and expanding market access for small producers. It would also make it easier for the consumer to purchase individual packages of meat directly from the producer or processor and allow the producer and consumer more flexibility when deciding where their meat is processed.

Visit cfra.org/events to register.

Questions can be directed to Beacom at nathanb@cfra.org or 402-687-2100 ext. 1032.