oday's episode is the second in an ATTRA: Voices from the Field ongoing series on Direct Marketing Meat. Linda Coffey, a livestock specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, follows up on a listener's question by interviewing fellow NCAT ATTRA livestock specialist Dave Scott and his wife, Jenny, about their direct-marketing meat business, Montana Highland Lamb.

Linda works out of NCAT's Southeast Regional office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Dave is on the staff at NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana.

In the previous episode, Dave and Jenny shared their farm story, and we focused on the marketing aspect of their business. In this episode, the focus is on processing. Processing is critical for Dave and Jenny's business and for others raising livestock for meat. Topics in this episode include finding a processor and the important criteria when looking for a processor; communication and building a great relationship; scheduling appointments; handling drop off and pickup; and managing and tracking inventory, storage, and orders.

Please let us know what further questions you'd like answered in the Direct Marketing Meat series.

For more information on this topic, you can contact Dave Scott at [email protected] and Linda Coffey at [email protected].

Related ATTRA Resources:
Direct Marketing Lamb: A Pathway
Putting a Hand on Them: How to Tell When Your Lamb is Finished (Publication)
Putting a Hand on Them: How to Tell When Your Lamb is Finished (Video)
Lamb Cut Guide for Direct Marketers
Creating an Excellent Relationship with Your Lamb Processor
The Lambulator: A Cut-Yield Calculator
ATTRA YouTube Channel, Livestock and Pasture
Working with Your Meat Processor

Other Resources
Montana Highland Lamb Facebook

Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.

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