Sample Cut Sheets: Pork

This example cut sheet for pork provides suggestions that may be used as a basis for bulk or retail pork sales.

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Sample Cut Sheets: Beef

This example cut sheet for beef provides suggestions that may be used as a basis for bulk or retail beef sales.

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How to Identify Your Ideal Customers

Identifying your customer is a critical step in developing a successful marketing strategy.  This document will help guide you through the basics of this process.

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Creating Consumer-Friendly Bulk Meat

Most consumers are not familiar with buying locally-raised meat by the quarter, half, or whole. To increase the opportunity to gain first time customers and retain them as repeat customers, it is important to understand the consumer’s needs, preferences, and the decisions that drive their purchases.

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Not sure how to evaluate finish (fat) on live beef cattle prior to processing? This short video series presented by Lauren Langley, Livestock Extension Agent and Lee Menius, NC Choices will teach you the basics so you can feel more confident in assessing your beef cattle prior to harvest.

FAQ Sheet for Beginning Niche Meat Producers (2020)

The purpose of this FAQ sheet is to provide very practical answers to commonly-asked questions for small pasture-based farmers entering into the niche meat business.

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Sheep Grazing Solar Farm Budget Template

This template was prepared for general information purposes only and is intended to provide a starting point for Farmers as they develop Budgets for use in their business.

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Keep Farm Land in Farming: Lease Considerations for Landowners and Farmers

This series of guides has been prepared for farmers and ranchers who are interested in leasing private or public lands for grazing and silvopasture. NC Choices is validating lease strategies through its USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Project, a three-year program to match niche meat producers with land opportunities across North Carolina.

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Bulk Meat Purchase Agreement Template (2020)

Committing to selling meat in bulk (whole, halves, quarters, or bulk bundles) involves a large financial investment. The bulk purchasing agreement template is intended to reduce risk by outlining specific terms of bulk purchasing between farmers and consumers.

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What do I do with my land?

A decision making guide for new meat producers

This guide is designed to help new farmers who are interested in getting involved in meat production. The goal is to provide information regarding land size, costs, equipment requirements, and other factors that can influence a farmer ‘s choice in livestock species and operation type. For further resources and guidance contact your local Extension Agent.

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