As we continue into our second year of COVID-19, small producers of poultry and livestock continue to face challenges to get their animals processed. I recall about a year ago receiving word of an organic poultry grower who was looking to travel all the way to Missouri to get his birds processed. There are several reasons that contribute to this dilemma. The simplest explanation is supply and demand. There are more birds than the current processors can accommodate. It is not quite that simply though. Like almost every other industry right now, maintaining an adequate workforce too is difficult. 

Additionally, at least one of the largest wholesalers of pastured poultry exited the market last year. This left the growers that once supplied them, and depended on them for in-house processing, to find their own slaughter solutions. These growers that wished to stay in the industry overwhelmed many of the limited independent USDA inspected facilities. Concurrently, other farmers saw a niche market emerging and starting producing birds commercially while some families decided to grow their own pastured poultry.

I am pleased to relay of a Kentucky processing facility owner/operator that is still scheduling appointments. I spoke with David Miller, of Crab Orchard, earlier this week and confirmed it is ok to relay that he is still booking kill dates. He comes highly recommended from a long-time stakeholder. Being just ninety minutes from Elizabethtown, his facility is close enough to benefit area growers in my service area. Plan for an early day as birds should be on site at his facility by 7:30am ET. It is best to contact Miller by phone at 859-925-9871. You will be prompted to leave a voicemail. He is prompt in returning calls.  Locating this processor has been very important for the ongoing viability of KYSU stakeholder growers.  My clientele are instrumental in providing pastured poultry for community sponsored farm to table meals, minority endorsing entities such as Black Soil and the general public who seek more natural, fresh, locally sourced food products.