Sourcing Local Meats
Locally raised meats are a great addition to child nutrition programs. Local meat products can be purchased as retail cuts direct from a farmer, or as live animals processed at a local locker or meat plant.
To sell meat to schools or childcare providers, the animals must be slaughtered and processed under inspection by the state or federal department of agriculture. Food service directors should look for the mark of inspection on meat packages from farmers. Another option is to source from a food hub. All their meat products will be inspected and local.
Resources
Sourcing Local Meats for F2SEC (Iowa)
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Database of Meat and Poultry Plants
Beef and Pork Whole Animal Buying Guide
Iowa Food Hub Meat-to-School Series Part A: Sourcing Meat for Schools in Northeast Iowa
Iowa Food Hub Meat-to-School Series Part B: Pork-to-School in Northeast Iowa
Iowa Food Hub Meat-to-School Series Part C: Beef-to-School in Northeast Iowa
Questions?
Teresa Wiemerslage, Food System Specialist
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
563-794-0599
wiemer@iastate.edu
