Challenges to Processing Poultry in Iowa – 2021 Virtual Annual Conference

For small- to mid-sized poultry farmers in Iowa, finding a plant to process their broilers is a significant challenge. Meeting the processing need is difficult, as small processing plants face barriers such as labor and regulations. This roundtable discussion sparks a conversation about processing barriers and possible solutions.

• Ryan Marquardt and his wife, Janice, own Wild Rose Pastures near Van Meter, Iowa. They have raised chicken, turkey, beef and eggs for central Iowa customers using sustainable practices since 2017.