Progress report for WPDP21-024
Project Information
The Rancher To Consumer project is designed to develop and distribute professional training through a video series to meat marketing entrepreneurs, livestock producers and meat consumers so that when the security of the food chain satisfying human nutrition needs and economic viability of farms/ ranches are threatened by unexpected impediments to normal delivery, alternative food processing channels can be utilized. Full educational materials including fact sheets, recorded demonstrations, recorded webinars and online calculators were generated to allow educators and producers to teach others to maximize alternatives for processing, sales and consumption. This effort is designed to develop trainers and others to instruct western residents on enhancing their quality of life while stabilizing food security. This course work has been developed for online, public access, but has also been incorporated into in-person workshops. The digital information will be made available on public sources and stretch distribution nationwide.
A. To train and empower a core of Educators and Producers who can promote and train others on alternative meat processing and meat marketing techniques which can strengthen the agriculture industry. This would include Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Educators and producers within all major organizations with Wyoming.
B. To expand meat processing and marketing option knowledge for consumers.
C. To build stronger links between processors, consumers, and producers by directly providing resource linkages between service providers and consumers.
D. To enhance the technical capacity of both agriculture producers and ag-related marketers in establishing alternative food chain implementation which could also then be applied to other products.
Methods and Timeline (Word limit 400)
Input from listening sessions during challenges to the food processing chain in the spring of 2020 have identified both a lack of information on alternative meat chains, but also the presence of opportunities for innovative producers and others to develop alternative delivery systems.
To facilitate resolving this issue we will teach the course segments, facilitate discussion, and provide resource links. Using digital training technology script and film instructional videos in a manner which meets health care limitations including:
- Interactive videos on what consumers and marketing producers can expect for carcass yield, on what specialty options are possible, on available meat cuts from processor, on how carcass break down from primal cuts, on proper cutting & wrapping hygiene/safety measures, on Licensing a Meat Enterprise, on Meat preparation and safety, and of side dishes that compliment selected meat dishes.
Trainer and Participant Materials:
- Develop a series of factsheets that mirror and compliment the video series and are available online.
- Develop and publish a Trainer Implementation
Trainer Course -
- Schedule train-the trainer course at two sites in Wyoming utilizing Health Order guidance. Provide some teaching items to trainers.
Conduct Evaluations:
Canvas viewers, trainers, and producers to evaluate effectiveness of materials, implementation of efforts after training and suggested new modules.
Timeline: (5/1/2021 to 4/30/2022)
- Video/Webinar Segment Filming – May and June of 2021
- Factsheets for Producers and Consumers – June 2021
- Editing and Secondary Broadcast – June 2021
- Trainer Seminar – August 2021
- Evaluation – June – Oct. 2021
- Presentation at large venues – July – August 2021.
Resources:
- Project development collaboration efforts will be provided from the University of Wyoming Extension/ Meats Lab staff, Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Wyoming Meat Processors Association, Wyoming Stockgrowers Association, Wyoming Woolgrowers Association and others.
- Direct costs include UW Meat Lab support, demonstration & trainer equipment, filming fees, factsheet publishing fees, software/subscriptions for broadcasts, advertising, and protective equipment for participants and trainers, training session hospitality, rental of lab and commercial packing plant space for episodes.
- Costs covered by the team will include office space, telephones, use of vehicles, meeting equipment, internet, and salary of support staff.
Education
This project focuses on developing current, online educational materials to increase knowledge and awareness of stakeholders involved in producing, processing and consuming beef, lamb and pork. Educational materials that include fact sheets, recorded demonstrations, recorded webinars and online calculators were developed between 2021 and 2023 on live animal evaluation for harvest readiness, fabrication into retail cut options, grading and carcass data overviews, food safety, packaging considerations, cookery method considerations, degree of doneness overview, online cutout/yield calculators and overview of meat pricing. A no cost extension was granted to change the lead PI due to unforeseen circumstances with the original PI and to increase the amount of recruiting time and participants that will participate in training workshops designed to 1) increase knowledge and utilization of these materials in their businesses, and 2) to evaluate and modify these materials based on participant evaluation. While approximately 110 participants have benefited from portions of these developed materials during demonstrations in 2022 and 2023, larger, comprehensive workshops will be completed in spring/summer 2024 to fully evaluate all components of this project.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
1) To train and empower a core of Educators and Producers who can promote and train others on alternative meat processing and meat marketing techniques which can strengthen the agriculture industry. This would include Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Educators and producers within all major organizations with Wyoming.
2) Expand meat processing and marketing option knowledge for consumers.
3) To build stronger links, including technical resources, between processors, consumers, and producers by directly providing resource linkages between service providers and consumers.
This project has resulted in 15 educational materials that provide training information on evaluating live animal composition and harvest readiness, fabrication options, carcass data overview, online yield calculator, food safety, cookery options and degree of doneness recommendations and packaging options for stakeholders producing, processing and consuming beef, lamb and pork. As part of the University of Wyoming Sheep Task Force workshop in October 2023, approximately 20 participants consisting of extension educators and producers received a demonstration on lamb fabrication and cookery/recipe information for difficult to market lamb cuts. A cooking demonstration and industry overview was conducted at the 2023 Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival. A comparison of live animal composition on the outcomes of lamb yield was taught online as part of the Western Meat School curriculum. To fully meet these objectives, remaining large workshops are planned in spring/summer 2024.
Participants completed WSARE survey information following the currently completed educational programs. Participants were provided informational factsheets during the demonstrations and webinars to reference for implementation. An additional survey will accompany final workshops to assess implementation of educational material.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Educational materials developed from this project have been presented to 110 participants so far. Final assessment of gain in knowledge, implementation into production, processing or as part of consumer behavior is still being evaluated, and will be completed following planned comprehensive workshops during the spring/summer 2024. A majority of WSARE survey responses and comments indicated that material presented during workshops and online webinars was valuable among participants and most indicated a desire to implement information presented. Much of the current participant population have been focused on the difficulty in marketing some cuts of lamb (i.e., foreshank/hindshank, leg, and shoulder). Alternative cookery methods/recipes presented during fall 2023 resulted in commentary that producers would share this information when marketing these products to customers. Full impact and success stories will be reported in the final report following the spring/summer 2024 workshops. Final edits to educational materials following final workshop evaluations will be uploaded to the final report and will be publicly available on the University of Wyoming Meat Science Extension website.