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Mobile slaughter units may not be the answer

As part of the USDA “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is promoting mobile slaughter units as a way to build slaughter capacity in some rural areas, but Amy Sipes at John’s Custom Meats in Smiths Grove, Kentucky tells Brownfield she doesn’t believe Mobile Slaughter Units are the answer.

“I don’t see these mobile units are going to be anything that’s going to help farmers in the long run,” said Sipes.

Instead, the Kentucky meat processor believes more slaughter facilities are needed and she says more needs to be done to help existing processors.

“I believe that strengthening the small slaughterhouses we have is the best option we have at this point,” Sipes said. “Focusing more on what we have and improving what we already have, rather than focusing on a short-term fix of a mobile unit.”

AUDIO: Amy Sipes, John’s Custom Meats (5:40 MP3)