Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network

NMPAN is a national community of practice of people and organizations helping small meat processors thrive, and growing our shared wealth of information and innovation. We offer tools and information for small processors and the farmers, marketers, and meat buyers who depend on them. Learn more about NMPAN and NMPAN people.

Beginner’s Guide to Local Meat Processing

New to the world of meat processing? Want to learn more about key terminology, what meat processing entails, and a bit about regulations and meat processing economics? Check out our four part series on local meat processing.

Planning a New Facility or Expansion

Tools for planning a small processing business, cost calculation, plant design, and testing your plan’s feasibility.

Regulations & Food Safety

Processing regulations, HACCP, food safety, and microbiology

Mobile Slaughter and Processing

All aspects of going mobile: case studies, design and construction, financial models, regulatory considerations, and video.

Retail Butchering

Do you cut meat for mostly retail sales? Then this is the page for you. Learn all about the types of retail butchering, regulations, start-up costs, case studies of successful retail butchers and value-added processors, and where to go for more support.

Running Your Facility

Processing best practices, equipment, and keeping the wheels on every day. Also, animal welfare best practices & science so you can provide the best care for your animals and ensure regulatory compliance.

Webinars & Case Studies

Learn from the experts: focused sessions on practical issues and innovations. Profiles of innovative processors.

State Resources

NMPAN state affiliates, support organizations, and processor listings.

NMPAN Research

NMPAN-led research about current challenges and innovative solutions related to small-scale meat and poultry processing for local markets.

Poultry Specific Resources

Poultry processing is a special beast. Many of the regulations are different, as is the processing, food safety protocols, and more. Find all our of poultry specific resources on one page now.

Peer Consulting

We’ve identified a small group of processors willing to be peer consultants for other processors. If you are interested in working with a peer consultant, please go to this page to read more.