In Search of More Markets: How USDA Changes Could Help Arizona Beef Producers

By Julie Murphree

For Arizona ranchers who have spent years navigating long waits at custom meat plants and limited marketing options, recent changes at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are worth investigating.

About 90% of the meat processing plants FSIS regulates are small (establishments with 10 to 499 employees) or very small (fewer than 10 employees or annual sales under $2.5 million). USDA launched the Small Processors Action Plan last June with an aim to strengthen support for these operations while maintaining food safety standards. 

In a recent conversation focused on practical support for small processors and the ranchers who depend on them, FSIS Administrator Dr. Justin Ransom described a deliberate shift in approach under the current administration.

Along with other voices, Arizona Farm Bureau and Dr. Ransom explored what these possible improvements might mean to beef producers and meat packers.