From bottlenecks to pathways: New ways forward for local meat processing in Minnesota

Paul Sobocinski believes the best way forward through any challenge is to get organized. This has been his philosophy since his early farming days. It’s also the philosophy guiding his current work addressing the meat processing bottleneck in Minnesota. 

Across Minnesota, the demand for meat processing far outpaces the availability of meat processing facilities. There are several reasons for this imbalance, including consolidation in the meat processing industry, a lack of skilled workers, and business owners nearing retirement who are unable to transition their businesses.

With fewer processors and processing slots, Minnesota farmers often have to schedule their processing a year or more in advance. Others need to transport their livestock hundreds of miles, putting a strain on their animals and increasing their costs. 

As a former small livestock producer, Sobocinski experienced the impact of the processing shortage first-hand. He also knows that this bottleneck puts a strain on farmers who depend on direct marketing to their communities to make a living. 

“For many small and emerging farmers, selling their products directly to their neighbors or at farmers markets helps their operations stay viable,” Sobocinski explains. “Direct marketing builds relationships with consumers and strengthens the local food economy. When a farmer can’t process their livestock, it impacts both the farmer and the eater.”

Community-University partnership

Having known University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) for many years, Sobocinski thought this rural food system challenge would be a good fit for an RSDP idea brief. In 2021, along with a team of producers, he put forward the idea to research the bottleneck in small- to midscale meat processing in Minnesota. Their proposal was awarded support by multiple RSDP regional boards, and the Mary J. Page Community-University Partnerships Fund provided funding to hire a graduate student.

“RSDP’s early funding was critical to getting our work started, and the students we’ve worked with because of that funding have been outstanding,” says Sobicinski. “Our first was Maya Benedict, who worked with us on dozens of interviews with Minnesota meat processors.”

Benedict and the farmers were also joined by staff from the Minnesota Farmers Union and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Calling themselves the Meat Processing Bottleneck Team, they conducted 57 in-person or virtual interviews with small to mid-scale meat processors across Minnesota. The outcome was a report outlining critical action steps identified by processors for addressing the bottleneck issue. 

Next steps

Paul and the bottleneck team were not going to let the report sit on a shelf and gather dust.

They got to work on a key recommendation: creating an apprenticeship program to engage with the immigrant community and match workers who might aspire to be entrepreneurs with established meat processors. To support this new path, the bottleneck team turned to RSDP again, this time receiving support in targeted regions and enlisting graduate students.

Paul and the team diligently organized and built connections with a long list of community and economic development organizations, including the Latino Economic Development Center, African Development Center, and Communidades Latinos Unidas En Servicio. They attended farming and meat processor conferences, and meetings with community colleges and trade schools. They also hosted community presentations and workshops for entrepreneurs.

“Through everything, developing trusting relationships has been key to moving forward,” explains Sobocinski. “From state agencies to trade schools, two of which now offer meat cutting courses, to economic development organizations to main street processors, every single one of these entities plays a critical role.”

The work took an important step forward when Tom Nuessmeier and Julio Cesar Tena Soria joined the bottleneck team. Nuessmeier is a hog farmer and an experienced farm policy expert. Soria, a Mexican immigrant with a background in meat processing, works as a liaison with the Hispanic community, while Nuessmeier focuses on meat processor outreach and relationship development. They are now working with a handful of processor and entrepreneur partnerships in various stages of development.

Growing support

From its beginnings with the RSDP idea brief, the meat processing bottleneck research and apprenticeship program has steadily garnered support and resources from multiple organizations, including the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Farmers Union, Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, Land Stewardship Project, various community colleges, trade schools, and even faith organizations.

Late last year, The State Center, in collaboration with the Minnesota Attorney General’s office, started working with RSDP to continue research and discovery about the independent meat processing sector. Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Odette, who championed this work nationally, believes the project can contribute to ensuring a level playing field for small and medium-sized businesses in Greater Minnesota.

Recently, the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture board awarded the meat bottleneck team funding from the Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems at the University of Minnesota. The funding will further support economic research and workforce development, engaging with the immigrant community, collaborating with trade schools and providing on-the-job training.

“Challenges like this meat-processing bottleneck can’t be solved overnight or by one person or organization,” Sobocinski explains. “But we make progress the more we collaborate and coordinate with each other. I saw this in my farming days, and it’s still true today.”