A few years ago, Jessica Roosa, owner of This Old Farm, based in Colfax, Ind., was trying to solve employee turnover issues on the slaughter floor and began investigating solutions for her small, aged facility that is a custom service processor of beef, pork, lamb and poultry. What she discovered was changes that helped staff also helped her animals.
It's a testament to the resilient economy and steady consumer demand that the U.S. protein industries have held steady during trade uncertainties, new tariffs and extra production. Barring an unexpected crisis, 2019 portends more of the same resilience.
The good news? Consumers say protein content is important. The bad news? They aren't always aware that meat, chicken and seafood are good sources of protein.
No one thinks bacteriophages are the magic solution for all bacteria and foodborne diseases. But could they play a key role as another hurdle for pathogens?
'Tis the season to plan for holiday business with traditional meats, but shoppers also want cultural diversity, unique meal options and meal delivery systems.
Meat and poultry certainly are the stars of holiday meals, but younger consumers are putting their own spin on recipes, menu kits and meal delivery for new traditions.
Brats, baseball, cookouts — basically the ingredients of summer. While sausage remains popular, more consumers say it has too much fat and too many calories. What's saving it? Reasonable prices, ethnic flavors and poultry sources.
Researchers are harnessing a still-developing field of study, microgenomics, to limit pathogens in the pre-harvest stage of cattle, while common sense methods are still being used to protect poultry.
At the retail deli counter, lunchmeat has always been the cornerstone of what makes its way into lunchboxes, until recently. Lunchmeat is showing signs of struggle as consumers change the way they eat, especially around lunch.