Presently the Small Meat Processors Working Group is pursing three projects to support small Iowa meat processors:

1. Product costing software
2. Pilot of Financial Benchmarking for Small Meat Processors
3. Meat Processing Vocational Training Program Feasibility Study with Webster City Area Development, Mid Iowa Growth Partnerships, and Iowa Community Colleges

SMPWG project collaborators:

• Iowa State University Extension
  • Meat Science
  • Value Added Agriculture
  • Center for Industrial Research & Service (CIRAS)
• Iowa Meat Processors Association
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Bureau of Meat and Poultry Inspection
• Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
• Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
• Practical Farmers of Iowa
• Iowa Farmers Union
• Drake Agricultural Law Center
• Iowa Department of Economic Development