Consumer demand for local food continues to rise, and local processing facilities are feeling the pressure from both farmers and consumers.
Kallie Jo Coates, a young agriculturalist who grew up playing an active role in her family’s meat processing facility, says that cooler space, cutting space, and access to employees are three factors impacting how many livestock they can harvest at Harry Hansen’s Meat Service.
She says her family has worked to create a new booking system to help combat some of these issues, but have since had to limit the number of processing slots available for farmers in their area for the first time since their opening.
These issues can be seen across the state as more local harvesting facilities go out of business and larger meat plants close their doors, causing Wisconsin processors to struggle to meet demand.
