Best Poultry Processing Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 235: The 21st century meat plant 27:49

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3d ago27:49

27:49

As storied as the history of the meat business is in the United States, the “old ways” are falling by the wayside now. They are being replaced by technology and training. Meanwhile, the meat industry’s workforce also is seeing upheaval. While traditional sources of labor are coming under fire, processors also are having trouble finding a new breed …

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EP152 - Maximizing Forage Options with Intentional Tree Planting 1:07:37

9d ago1:07:37

1:07:37

In this episode, I talk with Austin Unruh with Trees for Graziers. Austin was on the podcast a year ago discussing the topic of silvopasture for pigs. This year, we revisit this discussion and take a much deeper dive into the topic of intentional planting of a variety of trees to produce forage options throughout the season. For more information ab…

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Ep. 234: Turkey’s wild ride 27:26

10d ago27:26

27:26

The economics of the turkey market are changing. HPAI and other diseases have tightened supplies but prices are down. And decades-long annual sales cycles seem to have been permanently altered by the pandemic’s effects on social gatherings — but ground product isn’t picking up the slack. As the holiday season, and holiday meals, draw closer on the …

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Episode 151 - Producer, Processor, & Inspector - All in One Person 1:18:50

17d ago1:18:50

1:18:50

In this episode, I talk with Joshua Collins of Field and Forest Farm in Maine. Joshua is a small scale pork producer and offers custom on farm processing. His day job, however, is that of a state meat inspector for Maine. Josh brings some interesting insight to processing due to his experience. I think you will find this conversation very interesti…

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Ep. 233: How to move from 'passion' to 'business' 34:08

17d ago34:08

34:08

It seems a time comes when a meatcutter or rancher wants to take their passion for feeding their communities to a new level, and start up a processing plant. Most of them will need the advice and guidance of someone like David Zarling. The food manufacturing and operations consultant, and program manager for the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Netw…

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Ep. 232: Out with the Birdbath Water 32:59

24d ago32:59

32:59

Every pound a broiler chick puts on up to market distribution uses a gallon of water. Multiply that by the nearly 10 billion birds produced in the U.S. each year — predominantly in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states — and that’s a small lake’s worth of H2O. Much of that is the byproduct of processing, and managing that nutrient- and solids-dense…

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Ep. 231: Trust sells 32:55

1M ago32:55

32:55

Most U.S. companies have stopped talking about their DEI initiatives, corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts. Nevertheless, sustainability, in particular, remains a vital part of food companies’ relationships with their customers and end consumers. Pursuing greater sustainability and communicating those programs authentically ar…

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Ep. 230: See it differently — Kim Stackhouse-Lawson on beef supply chain sustainability now 30:34

1M ago30:34

30:34

Processors’ efforts to understand and meet the array of 21st century standards for “sustainability” may feel overwhelming, but Colorado State Animal Science Prof. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson boils it down: The foundation of sustainability is simply efficiency — something the entire supply chain has gotten good at. Stackhouse-Lawson, also the director of …

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Ep 229: Stats to story: How Archer turns data into shelf space 32:07

2M ago32:07

32:07

Meat snacks and sticks, particularly in the better-for-you market space, are soaring in popularity, but not all brands are benefitting the same way. Archer has reached aggressively across distribution channels with statistics that not only tell the obvious story — “stock us, we’re better” — but also educates retail buyers on exactly how the meat sn…

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Episode 150 - From Law Enforcement to Pastured Pigs with Valiant Farmstead 1:01:16

2M ago1:01:16

1:01:16

In this episode, I talk with Brenna Dorr who recently retired from a career in law enforcement and is now building a small farmstead with her family in central New York. Brenna talks about how her pigs have helped clear some overgrown forested areas as they work to build soil and remove undesirable plant species. To learn more about Brenna's Farm v…

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Ep. 228: Moving targets — How Glenn Valley Foods managed the aftermath of a devastating ICE raid 33:20

2M ago33:20

33:20

Would your plant — or your company — survive the overnight disappearance of more than half of your operations workforce? Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha did, after an ICE raid in June. In a conversation with Meatingplace Editor-in-chief Tom Johnston, Glenn Valley President Chad Hartmann tells the inside story of the raid and what the company did in the…

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Ep. 227: A legal game of chicken, Part 2 19:53

2M ago19:53

19:53

What goes into the decision to fight — or settle — accusations of price-fixing and collusion? The calculation is different for each company, but the fallout of the antitrust cases filed against meat and poultry processors still rains on the industry, and will do so for years. Meatingplace News Editor Chris Moore joins MeatingPod for the second epis…

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Ep. 226: A legal game of chicken, Part 1 17:45

2M ago17:45

17:45

For nearly a decade, processors of all types of meat have been hauled into court on allegations of price-fixing and other types of collusion. The legalities are complex — and expensive. Most companies are choosing to settle before the case gets to trial. A notable exception is Wayne-Sanderson, which was just Sanderson Farms when a jury handed the c…

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Episode 149 - Revisit with Enos Family Farm: Experience with the Swabian Breed 40:00

2M ago40:00

40:00

In this episode, I revisit with Chris Enos of Enos Family Farm in Iowa. Chris was on the show in June of 2023 (Episode 103) and was about to transition the the Iowa Swabian Hall breed. He shares the successes and failures of having that breed and where he is headed next. SPONSOR: The 2nd Annual Homesteading-ish Conference https://homesteading-ish.c…

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Ep. 225: Whither pork in 2025? 20:31

2M ago20:31

20:31

Pork is enjoying a moment in the sun, after a bumpy post-pandemic ride. Affordable feed and expensive beef are fueling demand for the red meat, even as upheaval around tariffs and the offsetting changes in the value of the US dollar work to sow uncertainty in the market. In this MeatingPod episode, Mark Jordan, executive director and senior livesto…

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Ep. 224: On the ground with AAMP 28:25

2M ago28:25

28:25

The annual convention of the American Assn. of Meat Processors tends to be more of a friends-and-family-type gathering than most other meat industry meetings, but the issues tackled over those days are as large as any processor faces. In this episode of MeatingPod, Meatingplace Managing Editor Peter Ricci introduces two interviews he did on-site at…

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Episode 148 - Garbage Feeding to Reduce Feed Cost and Produce More Affordable Pork 1:19:40

3M ago1:19:40

1:19:40

In this episode, I talk with John Lengyel of Hogman Farms. John uses post consumer food waste as a primary source of feed for his hog operation. This process can be controversial in the pastured pig world, but John has some compelling arguments as to the benefits of this feeding method. We take a deep dive into how he manages the waste material alo…

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Ep. 223: Wrap it up — Packaging is the fastest way to land a sustainability message 30:42

3M ago30:42

30:42

Consumers often say they would buy more meat and poultry if they knew it was more sustainable. At the same time, nearly as many shoppers say they don’t know exactly what steps protein companies have taken to improve sustainability. One of the fastest ways to get a sustainability message to customers and consumers is through the packaging that’s aro…

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Ep. 222: AI, HPAI, UPFs and salmonella — The poultry business at mid-year 28:33

3M ago28:33

28:33

It’s mid-2025, and the poultry complex has had a tough first half. But, the next months look brighter, as Dr. Ashley Peterson notes in today’s MeatingPod episode. The senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the National Chicken Council tells us how broiler producers can find federal aid to install new technologies to fight HP…

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Episode 147 - Investment in On Farm Poultry Processing Pairs Well With Pastured Pigs 50:10

3M ago50:10

50:10

In this episode, I talk with Brandon Bowen of Bowen Family Farm in Georgia. Brandon and his family invested into becoming one of 6 on farm poultry processors in Georgia with the hopes of building a large on-farm poultry operation. Pairing that with pork and beef will help him cash flow better throughout the year as they scale up their operation. Fo…

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Ep. 221: Consumers embrace meat again — but don’t fall too much in love 25:42

3M ago25:42

25:42

Good old-fashioned meat from livestock is enjoying renewed popularity, a shift in the zeitgeist fueled by consumers’ demand for simpler, more natural, and less- or unprocessed food products. Add to that a social backlash against plant-based meat substitutes, and a renewed connection in people’s minds between meat and masculinity. Meat advocates and…

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Ep. 220: Its mid-2025 — Do you know where your alt-meats are? 29:36

3M ago29:36

29:36

After a white-knuckle first half of the year, the meat alternatives sector stares down the rest of calendar 2025 from a position of retail weakness. Sales trends that seemed poised to turn positive again at the end of last year, didn’t materialize, and dour consumer sentiment could easily drown other, more optimistic economic indicators. Chris DuBo…

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Episode 146 - Developing a Great Side Hustle on 25 acres in NY 57:29

4M ago57:29

57:29

In this episode, I talk with Phil Cooper who has developed a great side hustle of raising pigs (and poultry) on 25 acres in upstate New York. Phil teamed up with his in-laws to take their homesteading level farm production of vegetables and other products and include protein sources from Turkey, chicken, and pigs. They manage a small herd of feeder…

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Ep 219: Five things we learned at IFFA 2025 37:32

4M ago37:32

37:32

Every three years the shiniest and newest technologies in meat processing are put on display in Frankfurt at the IFFA trade show. Meatingplace has been in attendance for decades, and this year, managing editor Peter Ricci did the honors. He came back from Germany with fat stacks of notes on what he’d seen. He did us the favor of trimming all those …

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Ep 218: Hang Glide — New tech for the toughest job in the plant 31:18

4M ago31:18

31:18

Picking up 5 or 10-pound weights at the gym doesn’t seem like such a heavy lift, but most people only do it for a few minutes at a time. Try lifting those weights for an entire workday, 130 times a minute. The job of rehanging carcasses on shackles after going through the chiller is one of the most difficult stations on the line to keep staffed. Th…

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Episode 144 - The Meishan Breed and Why It Is So Spectacular 52:24

4M ago52:24

52:24

In this episode, I speak with Jonathan Kemmerer and Laura Jensen from the American Meishan Breeders Association on why the Meishan breed is so desirable. For more information on the breed check out: Website: https://www.meishanbreeders.com/ Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-meishan-pigcast/episodes/Best-Breeding-Practices-for-th…

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Ep. 217: The ICE Man Cometh 23:07

4M ago23:07

23:07

Immigration enforcement is ramping up — again — and regardless of how carefully a company adheres to federal programs like E-Verify, it’s no guarantee that Immigration and Customs Enforcement won’t darken the door. But, companies can take concrete steps to properly prepare for and respond to a visit from ICE, as David L. Barron, a labor and employm…

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Ep. 216 Flavor innovation in the deli department 15:31

4M ago15:31

15:31

Developing new products that attract consumer attention is a goal for all food manufacturing companies, and Land O’Frost, a manufacturer of specialty meats and packaged deli meats is no exception. Julie Lubash, director of research and development and innovation at Lansing, Ill.-based Land O’Frost provides insights on how the family-owned company d…

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Episode 144 - Symbiotic Farming with Pigs, Beef, Sheep, and an on-farm Brewery in Quebec 1:04:16

4M ago1:04:16

1:04:16

In this episode, I talk with Ryan Allen of McAllen Farm and Brewery in Quebec, Canada. Ryan is a 7th generation farmer on the same land his ancestor's settled. As he took over the farm, he added pigs and the brewery to the farm with all ingredients for the brewery coming from the farm. Spent grains are fed back to the pigs and beef and help develop…

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A ‘balanced’ approach to alt-meat trial 28:11

5M ago28:11

28:11

Hybrid meat products — those that combine conventional animal protein with vegetables or plant-based proteins — have had difficulty getting consumers on-board. In fact, new research by Food System Innovations (FSI) indicates that prospective customers get turned off by too much information about what’s actually in the burger or chicken nugget or th…

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Ep. 214: AI, Automation and Myths 28:14

5M ago28:14

28:14

As processors continue to expand efficiencies and improve worker safety, Dr. Brian Kiepper from the University of Georgia takes our MeatingPod listeners on a tour of early automation efforts, notes where technology stands today and outlines the potential for tech advances in the near future. Dr. Kiepper also explains that meat plant automation does…

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Ep143 - Call Upon the Name of the Lard for Healthy Skin 1:14:18

5M ago1:14:18

1:14:18

In this episode, I talk with Charles Mayfield of Farrow skincare products. Charles has taken his farming experience and turn it into a thriving skincare product company. We talk about the benefits of lard and how we as a society have deviated so much from using the pig for so many of our daily needs. If you would like to learn more about Charles an…

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Ep. 213: The MeatingPod Editor's Roundtable on poultry 29:23

5M ago29:23

29:23

In this inaugural episode of the MeatingPod Editor’s Roundtable, Meatingplace Co-Editor-in-Chief Tom Johnston and Managing Editor Peter Ricci discuss the state of the poultry processing industry and where the protein may be headed in the near future. Both editors have covered protein processing businesses for years and offer their insights regardin…

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Episode 142 - Pros and Cons of Shipping Retail Pork Products 1:27:08

5M ago1:27:08

1:27:08

In this episode, I have two guest on the podcast. Both have experience shipping retail cuts to customers all over the country. Rob Dowdle of Dowdle Family Farm and Jake Miller of Outwest Farm share their experiences, tips and tricks on how to successfully add shipping to your farm sales. SPONSOR: Red Tool House Store - https://store.redtoolhouse.co…

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Ep. 212: Maintaining food safety standards 29:59

5M ago29:59

29:59

The challenge of implementing and maintaining food safety standards at any food manufacturing plant requires strict record-keeping, solid communications and a commitment to working with inspectors on both the federal and state levels. In this episode, Brian Kellerman, chief quality and food safety officer at Kellerman Consulting, describes implemen…

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From the vault: Best of both worlds 42:05

5M ago42:05

42:05

The way Jeff “Trip” Tripician sees it, he didn’t leave his job as CEO of a conventional meat company to become CEO of the Dutch cultivated meat company Meatable; rather, he went from CEO of one meat company to another. After decades working to institute progressive practices within the U.S. meat industry, Trip is pushing the cultivated meat industr…

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Ep. 210: Protecting the color of bacon 19:33

6M ago19:33

19:33

In this episode, Stephanie Major, a senior at Iowa State University, outlines a research project that aimed to better understand how bacon becomes discolored under varying types of retail lights. With Major as co-leader of the research team, the study involved treating cured bacon with natural antioxidants and then packaging the product in aerobic …

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Ep. 209: Salmonella, HPAI and More! 26:28

6M ago26:28

26:28

In this episode, Kromm will outline the specifics of the original USDA plan to monitor Salmonella contamination levels in processing plants as well as the goals for tracking various serotypes of Salmonella as well as other pathogens among poultry. She also notes that the proposed regulations – which were challenged by the poultry industry and other…

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Episode 141 - Focusing on Piglet Production with Small Town Farms in Ontario 1:03:05

6M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

In this episode, I talk with Nathan Post of Small Town Farms in Beamsville, Ontario. Nathan and his family have a farrowing operation on 7 leased acres between Buffalo and Toronto. Their goal is to build their operation into a farrowing/feeder pigs business focusing on quality genetics and hybrid vigor. For more information about their farm, visit …

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From the vault: Collaboration, flavors and R&D 21:13

6M ago21:13

21:13

Developing custom flavors for new and existing foodservice and restaurant customers for sous vide proteins involves collaboration and communication, according to Keith Goerl, Vice President, R&D and Commercialization at Ed Miniat LLC. Successfully meeting client needs means employing a variety of channels to stay ahead of emerging flavor trends and…

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Ep. 207: A matter of trust 29:09

6M ago29:09

29:09

Confusion is a major barrier for alt-meat companies struggling to gain traction with shoppers — confusion about healthfulness, ingredients, labels. Add to that a disconnect between consumer expectation and reality on matters of taste and texture. In short, consumers don’t trust the information they’re getting. Trust in the food system is what the C…

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Ep140 - Dr. Smokehouse has relocated to Maine 1:04:04

7M ago1:04:04

1:04:04

In this episode, I revisit with Jim Chelbowski (aka Dr. Smokehouse) who was last on the podcast in December of 2019 (Episode 28). Jim has dedicated much of his spare time honing his charcuterie skills and has become quite skilled and knowledgable in that field. Since we last talked with Jim, he has moved to Maine and has a different setup in which …

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Ep. 206: New technology for HPAI detection 21:25

7M ago21:25

21:25

As avian influenza continues to affect the poultry industry – as well as dairy cows and other mammals like cats and even seals – researchers are developing a hand-held device that can detect the virus that causes bird flu in the air in minutes with a success rate of 90%. Dr. Rajan Chakrabarty at Washington University in St. Louis, is leading a team…

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From the vault: Advancing the Salmonella challenge 33:55

7M ago33:55

33:55

With current USDA rules on Salmonella in frozen and raw poultry products, the fight to combat microbial infection also is being waged on the hatchery level using research that ultimately could protect humans from some biological invasions. Dr. Margie Lee from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is involved in groundbreaking researc…

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Ep 139 - Forty Years of Pigs with Trifecta Natural Pork 1:09:52

7M ago1:09:52

1:09:52

In this episode, I talk with Neal Saxton who has been raising pigs practically all of his life. His experience in breeding has lead him to create his ideal closed loop herd that gives him the results he has been looking for. His grasp of swine genetics is amazing and I think you will be impressed by his efforts. You can learn more about him at http…

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From the Vault: Food Safety & Profitability 19:38

7M ago19:38

19:38

According to Tim Vlcek, a food safety consultant and also the CEO of a direct-to-consumer meat business, explains how maintaining proper food safety protocols can directly impact a processor’s profitability because it makes managing operations more efficient. In this episode, he outlines the connection between maintaining consistent food safety sta…

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Episode 138 - How different are Pasture Pigs in Canada? 58:33

8M ago58:33

58:33

In this episode, I talk with Jason Dodd of Dodds Acres in Ontario, Canada. Jason shares details about his farm setup and some of the subtle differences they experience when it comes to feed, processing, and breed choice in Canada. For more information about his farm, visit https://doddsacres.ca/ SPONSOR: Red Tool House Store - https://store.redtool…

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Ep. 203: It all starts in North Carolina 27:46

8M ago27:46

27:46

North Carolina is home to a number of groundbreaking alt-meat development centers, from the soon-to-be-completed Believer Meats cultivated meat plant, to the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, and most recently, the first of three global Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein at North Carolina State. Bill Aimutis has been in the proteins industry f…

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Ep. 202: A woody breast breakthrough 17:25

8M ago17:25

17:25

Working with a research team at the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture, Dr. Dongyi Wang will outline for our MeatingPod listeners new advances that can improve the detection rate of woody chicken breast on the processing line 95% of the time. Utilizing cutting-edge hyperspectral imaging as chicken breasts move down the line, the…

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Ep. 201: Tracking the avian metaneurovirus 29:26

8M ago29:26

29:26

As the ongoing threat of highly pathogenic avian influence (HPAI) enters its fourth year, research continues to develop preventative and protective approaches with regard to the nation’s poultry industry. Sunil Mor is an assistant professor at South Dakota State University and is one of the scientists focusing on the identification of various HPAI …