USDA identifies gaps in US meat infrastructure

A preliminary study revealed by the USDA recently maps exactly where gaps exist in the US meat processing infrastructure by showing the availability of slaughter facilities for small and very small producers.

According to the USDA, the assessment of slaughter availability for small producers was done to identify regions in the US with "relatively high densities of small livestock and poultry producers, but without a nearby slaughter facility," so that eventually assistance can be provided to existing and new facilities.

Supporting slaughter availability for small livestock and poultry producers will benefit both local food systems and the public health, the agency said.

Matthew Michael, director of programme evaluation and improvement at USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) added that, while the agency supports the local food initiatives, its efforts are primarily regulatory.

The USDA defines small slaughter establishments as having between 10 and 499 employees, very small ones have fewer than 10 employees, or less than US$2.5 million in annual sales. Small livestock and poultry producers are defined as having annual sales of US$250,000 or less.