Center for Regional Food SystemsMichigan Meat Network

Resources

Brief/Fact Sheets

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  Who Was in the Room and How Were They Impacted? The Reach and Value of CRFS Events 2016-2018

  Published on March 21, 2019

  What motivates people to attend CRFS network convenings? How are summits and network meetings impacting participants? This report uses 586 evaluations collected from 2016 to 2018 to begin to answer such questions.

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  A Case for Daily Slaughter in Small Meat Plants

  Published on August 9, 2017

  This brief discusses the merits of daily slaughter to aid small meat plants into increased sales and profitability.

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  Deciding to Process Beef, Hogs, or Deer in Small Meat Plants

  Published on August 9, 2017

  This brief presents simple principles to aid small meat plants in deciding whether and when to process one species over another.

Journal & Trade Magazine Articles

• Measuring PH and Water Activity in Cured Reduced Oxygen Packaged Snack Sticks

  Published on August 8, 2017

  A comparison of in-house and third party pH and water activity (aw) testing of cured, reduced oxygen packaged meat products was conducted.

• Opportunities and Barriers to Growing Michigan's Local Food System: The Case of Meat Processing

  Published on August 8, 2017

  This paper details some of the challenges that occur within and between the three tiers of the Michigan meat value chain; at the producer, processor and regulatory level and how they impact meat offerings in local food channels.

Guides

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  Beyond the Numbers, Food Business Decision Making Series: Buying or Leasing a Food Hub Truck

  Published on August 9, 2017

  This guide presents the pros and cons of a food hub buying or leasing a truck for distribution.

• Meat Marketing Series: Inventory Management Through Buffers

  Published on February 20, 2017

  This guide outlines methodology for managing inventory via buffering. It is intended for meat marketers that provide direct delivery to wholesale customers.

• Meat Marketing Series: Selling the Whole Animal and Managing Variability

  Published on June 9, 2016

  Demand for local meat has been growing exponentially for years. Actually building a successful and profitable meat marketing program is easier said than done. Our report outlines a general solution for the problems.

Presentations

There are no documents to show at this time.

Reports

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  Growing a Local and Regional Meat Industry in Michigan: The Michigan Meat Network as a Case Study of Collective Impact Theory

  Published on June 26, 2019

  This report summarizes the collective impacts of the Michigan Meat Network.

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  Michigan Livestock Producer Capacity Assessment Final Report

  Published on April 10, 2018

  The findings of a survey exploring Michigan livestock producers' interest in and capacity to serve demand for local meat products.

• Understanding the Demand for Local Meat in the Grand Rapids region of Michigan

  Published on February 26, 2018

  This report provides an assessment of the Grand Rapids market for local and regional meat. The authors present demographics of the region and the meat processing facilities that are available.

Videos

There are no documents to show at this time.

Webinars

• New Ways of Approaching Meat Plant Management

  Published on December 11, 2014

  This business-oriented talk focuses on identifying constraints and new ways to think about managing meat plants.

• Understanding Challenges and Opportunities in Minnesota's Local Meat Industry Webinar

  Published on December 5, 2013

  The CRFS Livestock Work Group hosted a webinar with Jan Joannides, co-founder and executive director of Renewing the Countryside, a non-profit that works to strengthen rural communities.

• Grass Run Farms Webinar

  Published on June 25, 2013

  This presentation outlines the challenges any group of producers will need to overcome: consistency of finished product, workable production protocol, and year-round supply logistics.