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Is this project even feasible? Every meat processing plant needs the following equation to be successful: Capital + Customers + Talent/Staff = Potential Success. What is the best way to ensure these key parts of the equation are there? Write a feasibility study first (watch this webinar here to learn more about what these […]
What’s on this page? Here you’ll find resources for planning a new meat processing business or expanding an existing one. The economics of small-scale meat processing are tough. It is a capital-intensive, thin-margin, high-risk business. A solid business plan is absolutely essential in this industry. There are several links here to help you get started: […]
What’s on this page? Building a meat plant is no easy job. Even commercial contractors may not be familiar with the ins and outs of building a food processing plant that needs to be constantly washed down, contains rooms held at -20˚F, and has 1,000+ lb. carcasses hanging from rails throughout the plant. Much information […]
Staff Rebecca Thistlethwaite Director Rebecca stepped into the Director role at NMPAN in 2019 after three years as the Program Manager. She has a master’s degree in International Agricultural Development from the University of California – Davis and was formerly co-owner of TLC Ranch, a mid-scale organic pastured poultry and livestock enterprise in California. She […]
NMPAN Staff Office Hours- Ask questions, get advice Rebecca Thistlethwaite Director Click to Schedule 30 Minute with Rebecca Thistlethwaite, NMPAN Director David Zarling Program Manager Click to Schedule 30 minutes with David Zarling, NMPAN Program Manager Meat & Poultry Processing Technical Assistance Consultants- Experts on different aspects of the meat supply chain & processing. Ready […]
HACCP and Meat Cutting Courses Blue Mountain Community College has launched their Master Butcher Certificate Program! The program, developed in collaboration with industry experts and the Northwest Meat Processors Association, will provide participants with hands-on training and essential knowledge for success in this rewarding field. Whether you’re looking to begin a career in butchery, expand your […]
Job Postings Plant Supervisor Location: Detroit, Michigan Job Title: Plant Supervisor (Working Lead)Location: Detroit, MIEmployment type: Full time, salaried, working manager roleReports to: Director of Operations About Marrow Detroit ProvisionsWe are building a small, efficient USDA inspected plant that produces high quality retail and foodservice protein products that our restaurants and butcher shops are known […]
Showing Up When It Matters: How McPhee’s Butchery Turned a Tough Season Into Community Support When pressure hits a community, you quickly learn who’s willing to roll up their sleeves. With inflation soaring to all-time highs and SNAP benefits shrinking just as families brace for the holidays, many small processors and producers are feeling the […]
Next NMPAN webinar: NMPAN webinars are recorded and archived below, by topic.A few selected webinars from other groups are also listed. Click on a webinar’s title for the slides, speaker info, and recording. Topic Areas (click to jump to a topic): Local Meat and Poultry Processing: the Big Picture Regulations and Policy Plant […]
A Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network webinar. Date: October 23, 2025Duration: 90 Minutes You already track production, labor, and yields—but are you tracking the right numbers? In this free webinar, NMPAN and Good Roots dive into their new, real case study about three different small meat processors who used simple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to identify […]
Educational Opportunities and Webinars 2025 Check back soon! Conventions, Roundtables, Conferences and More! 2025 – Check Back Soon for More Events!
There are a limited number of independent USDA-inspected poultry processing plants that will do custom fee-for-service processing for farmers. Below is a table of the establishments we have located. Table organized by state and then alphabetical. Call first to see if they are still in business, still have USDA inspection, and are still booking slots. […]
Poultry are unique in the meat processing world. There are different regulations, poultry specific processors, allowances for on-farm processing, mobile poultry processing units, and specific food safety research that pertains to poultry. Now you can find all the NMPAN resources on these subjects on one page. For a list of independent USDA-inspected poultry processing plants, […]
Support NMPAN so we can support you! Too often, very small processors feel like they’re alone out here; like no one else understands and lives our challenges. It’s a rough business to make work; it can be a highly stressful business, economically and bureaucracy-wise. NMPAN matters because it shows that together we do have a […]
Processing Matters: Navigating Inspection Pathways for Direct-to-Consumer Beef Sales in Oregon By Kylie Burriss, NMPAN Outreach Specialist and Meat Scientist and Instructor at Oregon State University Today’s consumers are more interested in how and where their beef is produced than ever before. Retail meat counters have become flooded with marketing designed to communicate all the […]
Running Your Facility Operational Excellence Learn about ways to process efficiently, know your costs of production, price things accurately, and understand profitability. Deep dive into processor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This is an evolving page with more added each month. Business Planning Resources Here you’ll find resources for planning a new meat processing business or […]
This 38 page case study paper provides a deep dive into how small to mid scale meat processors successfully track and utilize Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, to understand, sustain, and grow their business. This case study focuses on actual meat processors, and the KPI they use on a daily basis to make informed decisions […]
Rethinking How We Train in Meat Processing, Part II: Some Ready-to-Use Training Tools for Meat Processors By David Zarling, NMPAN Program Manager In our April feature, we explored why traditional “information dump” training often falls short in food manufacturing: without clear goals or hands-on practice, learners struggle to connect new knowledge to their day-to-day tasks. […]
NMPAN is program of the Center for Resilient Agriculture & Food Systems (CRAFS) within the College of Agriculture at Oregon State University. Since 2008, NMPAN has created a robust national community of practice of people and organizations helping small meat processors thrive by sharing information and innovation. Small and mid-sized plants — when available at […]
Read NMPAN’s latest 2025 Annual Report marking 16 years of service to the niche meat industry! 2025 NMPAN Annual Report To mark a decade of operations from 2008-2018, NMPAN conducted a ten-year review in early 2018 to assess its effectiveness to date and adapt for the future. The review included: An online survey of listserv […]