Livestock Processing

Hartford's Agriculture and Farmland Protection Planning Committee is exploring options available to ensure that farmers continue to have access to processing facilities and that adequate capacity exists to support expanded meat production and the ability of farmers to sell meat direct to consumers or institutions.

Beef cattle and similar large livestock offer an alternative to dairying that has a lot of the same needs for land, structures and equipment, which makes it a more feasible alternative than moving into an agricultural sector less similar to dairy. Keeping larger livestock on Hartford's farms also maintains the demand for feed and the cultivated land on which the hay and other feed crops are grown. Other agricultural activities, like growing fruits or vegetables, are not as land intensive and will not be able to keep all of the land currently in cultivation in active agricultural use.

Options that could be explored include supporting expansions of existing facilities in the region, siting a new processing facility in the region (possibly in Hartford), or bringing a mobile processing unit into the region. Looking for more information and ideas? Check out the resources listed under the "Processing" heading on the left-hand side of this page.

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