FRANKFORT, Ky. — When talking about locally grown goods, the discussion is usually centered on produce or value-added products – but meat producers are becoming more a part of that conversation.

Recognizing this, the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) is hosting a Marketing Locally Grown Meat Workshop in Lexington on March 16. Brent Lackey, KCARD business development specialist, said making the leap from raising livestock to sell at the stockyard to marketing meat to consumers is a big one for farmers.

"In this one-day workshop we hope to provide farmers with an overview of all the issues they should consider before marketing meat, and provide the network they will need if they choose to develop the business on their farms," he said.

The workshop is designed for producers who are engaged in or interested in marketing their own meat directly to the consumer or to retail stores and restaurants. Lackey said some of the topics to be covered include key issues to consider when deciding to direct-market meat, consumer preferences on local meat (based on a University of Kentucky survey), a look at best practices with respect to social media, how to develop a marketing plan and working with processors.

A brief overview of the Kentucky Beef Network’s Pasture to Plate program will also be presented, along with a buyers’ panel to include chefs, someone from a retail outlet and possibly a distributor to discuss their expectations and requirements of someone looking to distribute meat locally.

Lackey said the number of meat producers wanting to market their products locally is a small but a growing number. "In general, direct sales from the farmer to the consumer is one of the fastest-growing segments of agriculture, which started out in produce but we’re starting to see that in meat sales, as well. And more and more retail outlets and consumers are looking for that."

He noted in 2012, locally sourced meat was the No. 1 trend on menus, according to a survey by the National Restaurant Assoc. (NRA). In fact, the NRA notes on its website: "According to the 2015 Restaurant Industry Forecast, 54 percent of adults say they look for limited-service restaurants that serve locally-sourced food, while 46 percent say an important factor is the availability of organic or environmentally friendly food."

The direct meat market is gaining momentum, but is still considered to be in the niche stage. Lackey said more consumers are looking to local producers for their food needs for a variety of reasons, including wanting to know where their food is coming from and how it was raised.

Supporting local farmers is another reason consumers are turning toward direct sales from local producers. Lackey said in every survey conducted asking consumers why they want to buy locally sourced food, the No. 1 reason is they want to support their local farmers.

Last fall, the USDA announced a $52 million investment in local food systems including organics. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated local and regional food systems are one of the pillars of efforts to revitalize rural economies.

"Consumers are increasingly demanding more local and organic options," he said. "Investing in local and regional food systems supports the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers, especially smaller operations, while strengthening economies in communities across the country."

The Marketing Locally Grown Meat Work-shop will take place March 16 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EST at the Fayette County extension office. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the registration fee for the meeting is $15 with lunch included. For more details and to register for the meeting, email Lackey at blackey@kcard.info