challenges and opportunities for sustainable meat in connecticut

Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

Samantha GarwinWhole Animal Butcher, Director of MarketingSaugatuck Craft Butchery, Westport, CT

sam@craftbutchery.com / @samgarwin

Challenges and Opportunities for

The meat supply chain

Farmer RetailerProcessor Consumer

sustainable

^

Small-medium

Organic methods

Pastured animals

Highly skilled

Serves small farmers

Humane methods

Proper waste disposal

Highly skilled

Sources locally

Sources whole animal

Strict quality standards

Highly skilled

Educated

Inquisitive

@CraftButchery

Challenge 1: High production costs

Farmer RetailerProcessor

Long time to market

Expensive/time intensiveland preservation

techniques

Requires highly skilledworkforce

Low volume

Requires highly skilledworkforce for a highly

dangerous job

Pays premium pricesfor quality meat

Pays rent to be in aconsumer-dense location

Requires highly skilledworkforce

Challenge 2: Inadequate CT land

@CraftButchery

Challenge 3: Processor shortage

8300

# of processors in Connecticut

# of CT processors that are USDA inspected during slaughter

# of USDA inspected CT processors that process chickens

# of CT processors prepared to take on significant new business

What we expected

Support Local Economy

Sourcing Philosophy / Values Health

Perception of Quality / Status

Taste

What we’ve found

* highly un-scientific data

Challenge 4: Unconvinced consumers*

Challenges recap

(1)High costs of production make it difficult to start and maintain sustainable farming operations

(2)Connecticut land is not adequate to support local demand for 100% grass fed beef

(3)There is a shortage of processors to serve small and medium scale farmers

(4)The majority of consumers have not been swayed by rational arguments in favor of sustainable meat @CraftButchery

Opportunities

CHALLENGE #1High costs of production make it difficult to start and maintain sustainable farming operations

OPPORTUNITIES(1)Public/private partnerships to train

beginning farmers in organic methods(2)Mentoring and knowledge sharing in the

farming and livestock community(3)Great timing: Lots of eyes (and $$$) on

food@CraftButchery

Opportunities

CHALLENGE #2Connecticut land is not adequate to support demand for 100% grass fed beef

OPPORTUNITIES(1)Source sustainable meats from regions

better optimized for its production(2)Provide technical and marketing support

for a wider range of beef farmers(3)Encourage diversified farms and eating

habits@CraftButchery

Opportunities

CHALLENGE #3There is a shortage of processors to serve small and medium scale farmers

OPPORTUNITIES(1)Processor cooperatives(2)Mobile slaughter(3)Training and incentive programs for

processors(4)Open source documentation for processors

@CraftButchery

Opportunities

CHALLENGE #4The majority of consumers have not been swayed by the scientific sustainable meat pitch

OPPORTUNITIES(1)Make it easy(2)Make it cool(3)Make it sexy

to eat sustainable meat}@CraftButchery

We are making progress!

@CraftButchery

THANK YOU!

580 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880

@CraftButchery/CraftButcherySamantha Garwin

sam@craftbutchery.com / @SamGarwin