Two raw steaks on a cutting board. — Join OSU's Food and Agricultural Products Center for an upcoming workshop to learn about direct-to-consumer meat sales. (Photo by Shutterstock)

FAPC announces Direct-To-Consumer Meat Sales workshop series

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Media Contact: Kirsten Hollansworth | Communications Graduate Student | 405-744-0442 | kirsten.hollansworth@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center is set to host two upcoming workshops designed to teach participants about direct-to-consumer meat sales.

Dr. Rodney Holcomb, associate professor and agribusiness economist, said there are many food safety and sales regulations that need to be understood before a rancher can begin selling directly to a consumer or retailer.

“This workshop will educate livestock producers on need-to-know issues impacting their ability to directly market whole, half and quarter carcasses directly to consumers,” Holcomb said. “At FAPC, participants have the unique opportunity to learn about these issues in an inspected meat processing facility.”

The first of the two workshops will take place on Aug. 9 at FAPC. The second workshop is slated for Sept. 12 at the Canadian County OSU Extension Office, 218 N Country Club Rd., in El Reno, Oklahoma.

Participants will observe a beef carcass being processed into different cuts of meat and learn how to explain yield and value of cuts to consumers.

Joel Jackson, meat pilot plant manager, said there is a growing demand for locally sourced food and consumers are no longer depending solely on large scale food production.

“Producing and selling food to others is a big responsibility,” Jackson said. “This workshop can help those interested in understanding the requirements of selling meat by the cut directly to the consumer.”

For more information and registration for the Aug. 9 workshop at FAPC, contact Karen Smith, workshop coordinator, at karenl.smith@okstate.edu or call 405-744-6277. To learn more about the Sept. 12 workshop at the Canadian County OSU Extension Office, contact JJ Jones, OSU Extension area agricultural economics specialist, at jj.jones@okstate.edu or call 580-332-7011.

FAPC, a part of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, helps to discover, develop and deliver technical and business information that will stimulate and support the growth of value-added food and agricultural products and processing in Oklahoma.