Since the start of the pandemic, the amount of meat processed in Montana has grown by 75%. The number of cows processed annually is still a drop in the bucket compared to the national numbers, but it’s a small pushback against the large meat-packing consortium. And the demand for butchers is still growing. Get the full story on what’s happening in Montana’s meat markets from the Billings Gazette.
And why does it matter in Minot? Have you noticed we tend to raise a few cattle around here? Have you also noticed we’re beholden to many of the same national meatpacking plants? How much sense does it make to raise the beef locally, export it for processing, and then import it back for consumption? Perhaps there’s an economic development opportunity ready to pick?
