Progress report for MPP25-001
Project Information
The Northeast livestock industry faces significant challenges including limited meat processing capacity, increasing land costs, and labor shortages. Yet, it also holds great promise, especially in meeting the rising consumer demand for local, sustainably-produced meat. This project, led by the University of Maryland Extension, seeks to transform the regional meat supply chain by addressing critical processing limitations and supporting farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers with comprehensive educational initiatives.
Through a multifaceted approach, the project aims to build capacity and promote sustainability within the meat processing sector. It will begin with a robust needs assessment to guide the creation of targeted educational resources and programming. The initiative includes training a cohort of meat processing professionals, supporting a series of educational meetings across the region, and culminating in a large-scale Northeast Meat Summit to unify stakeholders and drive systemic change. With broad-based partnerships and outreach strategies, the project will contribute to a more resilient, profitable, and environmentally friendly livestock and food system in the Northeast United States.
- Conduct a needs assessment to inform the implementation and development of workshops, meetings, and educational resources key to building the capacity of the local meat processing industry.
- Develop written and digital educational products and programming to help producers, entrepreneurs, and consumers understand topics related to livestock production, meat processing, and the marketing of local meats.
- Train or sponsor the training of at least four individuals from the Northeast Region in an intensive meat processing and entrepreneurship hands-on training program that will cover a wide range of meat processing, food safety, and entrepreneurial skills. These four individuals will be those that intend to work in the meat processing industry and/or start their own meat processing business.
- Administer an educational meeting sponsorship program which will result in at least ten in-person local meetings related to meat processing education across the Northeast. These meetings will be conducted by cooperating partners throughout the region.
- Conduct the Northeast Meat Summit. The local meetings in objective 4 will lead into and culminate in the regional meat summit. The purpose of the meat summit is to unify Northeast stakeholders, increase knowledge, and grow collective skills to advance market opportunities for local and regional meat supply chains in the United States.
Education
The project’s training program will be conducted in partnership with a collaborating university’s research and education meats laboratory, leveraging their facilities and instructional expertise to deliver an intensive and applied educational experience. Through a competitive application process, a select group of highly motivated individuals will be sponsored to participate in this program. The rigorous selection procedure is designed to identify candidates with the greatest potential to contribute to the long-term growth and sustainability of the local and regional meat processing sector in the Northeast.
The training curriculum will emphasize the comprehensive skill set necessary to operate a successful meat processing enterprise. Core learning modules will include meat business management, marketing of meat products, regulatory compliance and food safety, and practical meat cutting skills and techniques. A significant portion of the program will consist of hands-on learning experiences in the meats laboratory, allowing participants to apply theoretical concepts to real-world processing environments.
To evaluate program effectiveness, pre- and post-training surveys will be administered to assess knowledge gain, attitude and awareness shifts, and intended behavioral changes among participants. This evaluation approach will provide measurable indicators of impact and guide future refinement of educational content. By combining experiential learning, targeted instruction, and rigorous participant selection, this program will prepare future leaders and entrepreneurs capable of advancing the capacity, quality, and resilience of the Northeast’s local meat processing industry.
The project will implement a regional meeting sponsorship program to support in-person educational events across the Northeast, each designed to address locally relevant topics within the meat and poultry processing sector. This approach will leverage partnerships with Extension professionals, producer organizations, and agricultural development entities to ensure that meetings are accessible, context-specific, and grounded in community priorities.
A competitive sponsorship application process will be developed to identify and support host organizations that demonstrate strong capacity and alignment with the project’s overall goals. Comprehensive program guidelines and promotional materials will be disseminated widely to encourage participation from diverse audiences, including producers, processors, educators, and other stakeholders throughout the region.
Each sponsored meeting will provide opportunities for applied learning, networking, and dialogue among participants. Meeting content will be adaptable, allowing local partners to address emerging issues, share best practices, and build collaborative capacity within their regional meat supply chains.
To evaluate outcomes and guide continuous improvement, post-meeting surveys will be administered to organizers and participants to assess learning gains, identify future needs, and document participant feedback. Collectively, these sponsored meetings will strengthen regional networks, foster knowledge exchange, and serve as a foundation for broader stakeholder engagement leading up to the Northeast Meat Summit.
The project’s approach to developing educational products emphasizes collaboration, relevance, and evidence-based content creation. An educational product development team composed of Extension professionals and key partners from across the Northeast will be established to guide and coordinate this effort. The team will use data gathered through the regional needs assessment, stakeholder interviews, and local meetings to identify high-priority topics and gaps in existing educational resources.
Based on these findings, the team will design a portfolio of written and digital products that address critical aspects of the regional meat and poultry processing sector. Potential formats include fact sheets, guides, videos, curricula, online modules, and other multimedia resources that support producers, processors, entrepreneurs, and consumers. The development process will emphasize clarity, accessibility, and practical application, ensuring materials are relevant to both new entrants and established industry professionals.
Each educational product will undergo internal peer review for accuracy and usability before dissemination. The team will also monitor and evaluate the reach and effectiveness of these materials through surveys, feedback forms, and usage data. By integrating applied research, stakeholder input, and diverse dissemination methods, this project will produce high-quality, adaptable educational resources that enhance technical knowledge, business management capacity, and overall sustainability within the Northeast’s local meat processing and marketing systems.
Project Outcomes
Increased collaboration among producers, processors, and service providers to improve supply chain coordination and resource sharing.
Use of more effective marketing channels, branding, and direct-to-consumer sales approaches to expand market access for local meats.
Application of improved meat cutting, fabrication, and value-added processing techniques that increase yield, reduce waste, and improve product quality.
Enhanced understanding and implementation of regulatory requirements such as HACCP protocols, labeling, and inspection standards.
Adoption of improved enterprise planning, cost accounting, and profitability analysis methods specific to small and mid-scale meat processing operations.