Tag: livestock

Interested in starting a meat processing business? Whether you’re early in your research, planning to open a new plant, or expanding an existing operation, explore our blog for practical information, real-world guidance, and stories of hardworking Americans who are getting after it.

At Friesla, we’re helping farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs build independent meat processing businesses in communities across the country. Explore our resources on starting a meat processing business, the basics of meat processing, USDA inspection requirements, available grants and funding opportunities, and other practical information on building and running a successful operation.


Friesla’s Founder & President interacting with Butcher Solutions’ Owner inside Friesla’s manufacturing facility.

Partner Story: Sierra Jepsen, Butcher Solutions

“Before COVID, you could call your local butcher and get a harvest slot the next week. But now you need to call a year in…

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Butcher using bandsaw to portion beef into steaks.

Meat Processing Explained: From Harvest to Packaging

The livestock harvest-to-package process can seem a little mysterious: an animal goes in, boxes of meat come out—but what does this look like inside a…

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Butchers transfer quartered beef carcasses from a Friesla Mobile Harvest Unit into The Meating Place Butcher Shop.

Client Story: The Meating Place

The Meating Place is helping bring back the tradition of independent butcher shops that were once staples in communities across America. Consumers had access to…

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Owner of Harrison Harvesting easing a cow out of a livestock trailer into the meat processing facilities livestock pen system.

Why Meat Processors Need A Robust Humane Handling Program

Animal welfare is a hot topic in today’s agricultural economy—and for good reason. Humane animal handling is a moral venture and carries high cultural expectations:…

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Beef half carcass tagged with lot and traceability number hanging in a cooler.

Explained: 4 Types of Inspection for Meat Processors

There are many steps to moving a finished animal from pasture or feedlot to steak on a plate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates…

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An empty shelf labeled for USDA Choice Beef at a grocery store during COVID-19.

Why America Needs to Restore Local Meat Processing

The need to restore local meat processing became clear in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when American shoppers were faced with empty shelves…

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