challenges and opportunities for sustainable meat in connecticut

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Sustainable Meat in Connecticut Samantha Garwin Whole Animal Butcher, Director of Marketing Saugatuck Craft Butchery, Westport, CT [email protected] / @samgarwin Challenges and Opportunities for

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Hear from Sam Garwin of Craft Butchery, Connecticut's first and only pasture-raised whole animal butcher shop, about the sustainable meat supply chain and challenges and opportunities facing local producers and processors.

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Page 1: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

[email protected] / @samgarwin

Challenges and Opportunities for

Page 2: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 3: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 4: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

Challenge 2: Inadequate CT land

@CraftButchery

Page 5: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 6: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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*

Page 7: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 8: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 9: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 10: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 11: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

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

Page 12: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

We are making progress!

@CraftButchery

Page 13: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Meat in Connecticut

THANK YOU!

580 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880

@CraftButchery/CraftButcherySamantha Garwin

[email protected] / @SamGarwin