Nevada Department of Agriculture and Southwest Regional Food Business Center Empower Meat Producers and Processors with New State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program and Supportive Technical Assistance

The Issue

Nevada’s primary agricultural product is cattle, yet there are only four fixed USDA inspected slaughter facilities in the northwestern part of the state. This makes it difficult for local ranchers to bring their beef to market. Often Nevada cattle are shipped to other states to enter the food supply chain there rather than in Nevada.  

Our Response

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) is addressing this need by creating a State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program. The goal is to help more local beef get to local consumers. With the support of the Southwest Regional Food Business Center (SWRFBC), the NDA has filled an important gap, giving technical assistance to local farmers, ranchers, and meat processors.  This support helps producers and processors navigate the new program and existing state, county, and city regulations which are often prohibitively complex due to the number of different agencies and the decentralized geography of the state.   

Our Impact

The State Meat Inspection Program (soon operational) and the technical assistance provided by the NDA has already changed the landscape of meat producers and processors in Nevada. The technical assistance is reducing barriers to success for producers and processors, not only preparing them for the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program, but also making them more effective members of the regional food system. For example, one rancher who wanted to get their beef into a local restaurant chain with over a dozen locations in both northern and southern Nevada was hindered by a series of challenges familiar to small food business owners throughout Nevada. The changes instituted by the NDA allowed this rancher to have a different experience: The SWRFBC NDA education and compliance staff were able to research regulations on city, state, and county levels in order to assist the rancher on what was needed for him to accomplish his goals.  They were able to compile the applicable regulations, provide critical contacts, and share valuable considerations, all presented in an easy-to-digest format. 

As a result of the intervention of the NDA supported by the SWRFBC, this rancher is in a strong position to utilize the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program as soon as it is operational.  This will increase his profits, allow his local beef to stay in local markets, and increase consumers’ access to local beef.