Livestock Producers: Profitable Meat Pricing Program

THIS WORKSHOP IS CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION.

In partnership with Ag Marketing Consultant Matt LeRoux and NC Choices Technical Coordinator Lee Menius, we are offering two workshops and one on one support to work with farms selling meat by-the-cut on marketing technique, pricing and increasing gross sales. This program expands on the recently updated Cornell Meat Pricing Calculator Tool by offering pre and post support for the hands on workshop “Profitable Meat Pricing”. These opportunities include a basic financial record keeping class for livestock producers “Farm Financials for Successful Pricing” and one on one assistance from Matt LaRoux in gathering cost of production data and post workshop price adjustments. This program is beneficial for those familiar with this tool from previous workshops as well as those who are new to it.

IMPORTANT:

To participate, farms will need to gather some simple data from the next animal(s) they take to the processor (see below) and know their cost of production. If help is needed to determine CoP, farmers should consider attending the workshop “Farm Financials for Successful Pricing”.

1. Carcass weight and all sellable cut weights from one or more “typical” animal. Getting cut weights from one animal (or one group) usually means weighing the cuts out when you get the meat back home. Some processors can provide this data to you, but the old “kitchen counter” scale method is fairly easy too.
2. Keep your processing invoice, with carcass weight(s), slaughter fee, cut and wrap fee, and other fees from any additional processing (hot dogs, patties, sausage, smoking, etc.).
3. Have a list of your current prices for cuts in the channel(s) you use.

Basic Farm Financials for Successful Pricing

Tuesday, January 19, 5-7:00pm
Have you ever struggled to understand how to successfully price your meat products?  The basis of any profitable business strategy is good record keeping and understanding your costs. Join NC Choices Technical Coordinator Lee Menius as we explore the basics of understanding your farm’s financial goals, records, and how to use that understanding to evaluate new enterprises and pricing.

In this session we will cover:

• Determining financial goals
• Understanding fixed and variable costs
• Understanding cash flow versus net worth
• Understanding the basics of marketing and selecting farm enterprises
• How to incorporate all of these to set a pricing structure that works for your operation

This should lead into the information that participants will need to have and understand for Matt LeRoux’s presentation on the price calculator.

Profitable Meat Pricing

Thursday, March 18, 5-7:00pm
You are raising and selling local meat, but are you making a profit doing so? Matt LeRoux will walk participants through the recently updated Cornell Meat Pricing Tool and the supporting marketing techniques needed to command prices that deliver a profit in every channel. For those familiar with the Meat Pricing Calculator, this workshop will provide more hands-on training than in previous years.

The workshop is best for direct market producers selling meat by the cut (e.g. beef, pork, lamb, and goat).

Matt LeRoux, Extension Associate, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, has nearly 20 years of experience serving farms through Cornell Cooperative Extension, non-profits, and consulting. Specializing in market strategy, Matt works with a diverse mix of produce and livestock farmers and food businesses. Career highlights include developing the Marketing Channel Assessment Tool for produce growers and the Cornell Meat Price & Yield Calculator.

Please contact Stevie Schafenacker if you need assistance or have questions.