Carolina Meat Conference

NC Choices presents the 1st annual Carolina Meat Conference sponsored by Weaver Street Market and Cabarrus County Bringing together independent meat producers, processors, buyers and allied professionals for a weekend of workshops, trainings, panel discussions and networking to strengthen marketing and processing opportunities for the region’s rapidly growing local meat industry. March 25‐27, 2011 at the Cabarrus Arena and Event Center in Concord, North Carolina • Explore how production and processing practices impact meat quality and marketability including beef, pork, poultry, lamb and goat. • Engage in hands‐on training to improve carcass utilization, learn artisanal butchery techniques, and develop value‐added products. • Learn about innovative marketing alliances that are expanding the supply of local meat, and • Discuss emerging trends and issues, including regulatory compliance, food safety, mobile slaughter, pasture management, animal welfare, marketing claims, production standards, third party certification and ethics. • Panel Discussions, Presentations, and Demonstrations with representatives from NC Meat and Poultry Inspection Division, USDA, and NC Cooperative Extension, as well as some of North Carolina's best meat producers, processors, butchers, chefs and food entrepreneurs. in addition to: HANDS‐ON TRAININGS Value‐Added Cuts and Efficiency Fabrication for Commercial Meat Processors (beef and pork) Dr. Gregg Rentfrow, University of Kentucky, Food & Meat Science and presented by Weaver Street Market: Artisanal Butchery for Professional Chefs and Home Cooks (separate sessions) Tia Harrison, Co‐Founder ‐The Butcher’s Guild, Owner ‐ Avedanos Meat Market and Executive Chef ‐ Sociale, San Francisco, CA Marissa Guggiana, Co‐Founder –The Butcher’s Guild, President ‐Sonoma Direct Sustainable Meats and Author of Primal Cuts: Cooking with America’s Best Butchers KEYNOTE Scaling the Supply of Quality, Locally Produced Meats Mike Lorentz, Lorentz Meats, Cannon Falls, MN ‐ Learn how this mid‐scale meat processing company has successfully grown to meet the demand for niche meat, providing custom slaughter & processing for both national niche brands and individual farmers. Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at this event? http://www.carolinameatconference.com/ Full Conference Schedule and Attendee Registration available January 15th, 2011 NC Choices (http://www.ncchoices.com/) is a Center for Environmental Farming Systems' initiative that promotes sustainable food systems through the advancement of local, pasture‐based animal production, processing and marketing.