Educating local livestock producers is a high priority in Shelby, Henry, Trimble and Oldham Counties. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, total beef, swine, sheep and goat animal sales yearly in the combined counties totals more than $32 million, emphasizing the need for livestock producers to take herd management and marketing decisions seriously.  Increasing consumer demand for locally sourced protein and the participating counties’ proximity to urban markets in Louisville and Frankfort, provide incentives for producers to seek out new ways to add value to their product.  With the availability of a nearby processing facility, Trackside Butcher Shoppe in Campbellsburg, more local producers are retaining ownership through the finishing stage and selling beef, pork, lamb and goat off the farm.

To learn more about the demand for local food in Louisville, during 2019 the Department of Economic Development partnered with Seed Capital Kentucky, a Louisville non-profit organization, to study how much of Louisville's $2 billion annual food purchases were local. Karp Resources, a New York City-based food and agriculture consulting firm, designed, led and managed the Louisville Local Food Demand Analysis. The Analysis found that consumers and commercial buyers spend about $300 million annually on local food purchases, but were interested in buying more than double that amount of local food (louisvilleky.gov, 1/24/2019)

With these facts in mind, Agriculture Extension agents in Shelby, Henry, Trimble and Oldham Counties developed an educational series to address meat production and sales entitled Raising the Steaks and Chops.   This program offered producers of both grass-fed and grain-fed livestock the opportunity to learn more about efficient production practices, carcass quality, product labeling and marketing.   Additionally, four local producers who have been involved with on-farm sales of meat products for some time shared their knowledge and experience with the group.

Nearly 40 producers participated in the four-part series, half of whom were currently selling products directly to consumers.  In a post-survey, 50% of respondents indicated that the Marketing and Producer Panel session was the most beneficial to their operation.  The highest- rated session was Grading and Processing which included a presentation by Dr. Gregg Rentfrow and a tour/presentation of Trackside Butcher Shoppe.

When asked the open-ended question “Why did you sign up for this program series?” some responses included:

1. To learn more about raising/finishing cattle
2. Interest in marketing from farm/selling beef to consumers
3. Learn more about finishing lambs
4. Learn more about marketing
5. Learn about meats and value-added
6. Learn ways to market beef and pork
7. Learn more to start my farm
8. Learn about what goes into creating good cuts of beef

Producers were also asked what was missing from the series that they would like to see addressed.  Ideas for future programming that were suggested include:

1. Master Cattleman
2. Forages
3. Small Ruminants
4. More Grass Fed Specifics
5. More Marketing
6. Where to Process Small Animals
7. Poultry Materials