Demand for locally produced meat is on the rise, which provides a unique market opportunity for livestock producers, butchers, and other meat industry experts. All members of the meat supply chain are invited to attend the Practical Farmers of Iowa’s (PFI) second annual Midwest Meat Summit, which will take place June 17-18 in Ankeny, Iowa. Amos Johnson, PFI’s senior livestock education coordinator, said the two-day event will allow attendees to share knowledge, build connections, and explore opportunities in a growing market.
Johnson said day one of the summit includes a bus tour to several central Iowa farms and a meat processing facility.
Day two will feature educational sessions and networking opportunities covering topics such as business management, processing, workforce development, and emerging market opportunities.
Johnson said a lot of the increase for local meat products came from the COVID-19 pandemic, where it was almost impossible to book with local meat lockers due to intense demand.
Johnson said there is now also increased demand for other products, like tallow and lard skincare, but those can be trickier to market. Fortunately, that will be one of the topics of the summit.
Registration is $90 for members and $140 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, visit midwestmeatsummit.com.
