Expanding capacity for meat slaughter and processing can be achieved in one or more of the following ways:
- Invest in the construction of a USDA-certified slaughter facility in New Hampshire that would include the slaughter and processing of multiple animals.
- Invest in the construction of a USDA-certified value-added processing facility in New Hampshire to process value-added meat products, such as meatballs, sausages, and jerky.
- Fund a state inspection program, mirroring Maine’s and Vermont’s, and develop it with reciprocity between state programs to accommodate cross-state sales.
- Explore the feasibility of developing a USDA approved hybrid meat inspection program with the NH Department of Health and Human Service (NHDHHS) and the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food (NHDAMF). NHDHHS already inspects processing facilities, which allows meat to be sold at the farm, at farmers’ markets, and to restaurants. NHDAMF could inspect the “kill floor,” while the actual kill inspection could be done by a third party, such as a veterinarian.
Craving context? This recommendation is included in the Meat & Eggs brief, part of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan.
Read the Meat & Eggs brief here
