Prioritizing a working relationship with your butcher
Elmarie Nel of Clarion Locker and Blake Hansen of Hansen’s Dairy shared some insights at PFI’s 2022 annual conference about how they work together and keep an open line of communication to deliver the best end products.

Valuable insights for the producer:
  • Schedule in advance and drop off the correct number of animals on time.
  • Do the customer service work with your customers up-front. Explain how processing and pricing work and answer questions.
  • Communicate mistakes but also communicate a job well done.
Valuable insights for the processor:
  • Set up an initial meeting with new customers to talk about their goals, your processing methods and why some things may and may not be possible for their products.
  • Admit mistakes and work to correct them.
This summer, the Nels' participated in a Live from the Farm episode and gave a tour of their locker. Watch the episode!

The Nels recommend joining the Iowa Meat Processors Association and the American Association of Meat Processors for access to community and resources.

For more meat processing resources, visit the Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network. 
PROGRAM UPDATES
Join PFI and LSP for a workshop and screening with Allen Williams on February 24.

Session 1: Soil Health Workshop
Learn more about the positive impacts of regenerative practices on everything from soil, plant and animal health to ecosystem, climate and human resiliency. 

Session 2: Livestock on the Land Screening & Farmer Panel
Watch PFI's Livestock on the Land documentary. Following the film, the audience can ask questions and hear from a panel including Allen Williams and Seth Watkins, Wendy Johnson and Martha McFarland, farmers featured in the film. Learn more about the film and screening
Ready to improve your marketing and sales efforts?

Join Amanda Severson on March 1 at 7 p.m. as she speaks about prioritizing multiple distribution channels – specifically, marketing for wholesale, direct-to-consumer and farmers market distribution. She will also focus on social media presence and the role it has in managing these relationships.

Jason Mauck, of Munsee Meats, believes farmers need to build their own economies to drive the local foods movement. Jason focuses on the full-circle story of combining tradition with innovation from the farm to the fork to create a self-sustaining economy that is resilient and can attract consumers.

BEYOND THE GATE
Grace German, daughter of long-time members Tom and Kristi German, grew up as the fourth generation on Thankful Harvest farm, a certified organic crop and livestock farm in Holstein, Iowa. 

Grace was born in 1998 into the PFI network and grew up witnessing the power of curiosity and collaborative thinking. These values infused her childhood, and buttressed her when she moved off the farm to begin charting her own sustainable agriculture and local foods journey.

John and Holly Arbuckle, owners and operators of Singing Prairie Farm in La Plata, MO, worked with PFI’s Cooperator’s Program to research how different grain quantities impact pork’s fatty acid profile.

The Omega-3 fatty acid concentration was greatest in the grain-free group. 

Registration for the Grassfed Exchange 2022 conference will take place May 18-20, 2022, in Ft. Worth, TX, and registration is open!

The conference will include multiple speakers, ranch tours, breakout sessions, live entertainment and Texas BBQ. Visit the website to stay up-to-date with conference info and other programming.
As you start to plan for the upcoming year, don't forget about free extension services and programs that may be helpful.

Farm Financial Planning is ISU Extension and Outreach's farm financial analysis program. It provides one-on-one financial counseling, a computerized analysis of the farm business and referral to other extension programs or outside services that may be useful.
UPCOMING EVENTS
6:30 p.m. | Online

Feb. 18-19: Conference - Southern Iowa Grazing Conference
Bloomfield, IA

7 p.m. | Online

1 p.m. | Online

1 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. | Ridgeway, IA & Decorah, IA
12 p.m. | Online

Feb. 23-24: Conference - 2022 Wisconsin Cover Crop Conference
Rothschild, WI

7:30 p.m. | Online

March 1: Conference - Small Grains Conference
8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. | Lincoln, NE

7 p.m. | Online

March 10-11: Conference - Regenerative Poultry Convergence
Albert Lea, MN
POLL
Who do you sell your animal products to?
Grocery stores
Restaurants
Individual consumers
Other
Previous poll results:
When do you start prepping your livestock operations for winter?
  • Early-fall - 66.7%
  • Late summer -33.3%
  • Late fall - 0%
  • Early summer - 0%
  • None of the above - 0%
Are you planning or hosting a livestock event? Do you want to host a livestock event? Send the details to meghan@practicalfarmers.org
Looking for more? Contact us today!
Meghan Filbert
Livestock Program Manager