BARDSTOWN, Ky. – The American Association of Meat Processors, North America’s largest meat trade association, recently welcomed the Kentucky Association of Meat Processors as its newest state affiliate.

“The American Association of Meat Processors (with 30 state and regional associations among its affiliates) advocates for meat processors at a federal and national level, while our association can advocate for meat processors at the state and local level,” said Allison Boone Porteus, vice president of Boone’s Butcher Shop in Bardstown.

“The combination of these organizations is powerful for processors,” added Porteus, currently on the Kentucky Association of Meat Processors board of directors.

She said, “We (Boone’s) are long-time members of the American Association of Meat Processors, and greatly respect the impact the national association has on meat processors.

“Having a state-level association allows us to focus on issues that plants in our state are telling us they need, and to find solutions that are local to the processors in Kentucky,” she added.

Currently, there are 100 small meat processors in Kentucky, most of which are family-owned businesses, as well as a handful of poultry processors and country ham producers, and a mix of both USDA-inspected and custom processors.

Jennifer Hardin, who was hired in 2023 as Kentucky Association of Meat Processors’ executive secretary, said there had been a state association in Kentucky that dissolved 20 years ago.

“Operations ceased decades ago just due to the organization fizzling out,” she said. “There was not a particular reason, really. It has been in the works for a couple years now.

“The organization officially formed in 2022, and in 2023, it got off the ground enough to invite members and promote the organization,” she added.

She said the organization officially joined as a state affiliate with the American Association of Meat Processors this year.

“The Kentucky Association of Meat Processors was formed to create a network of meat processors operating in Kentucky to allow for better communication of information pertinent to our industry, the open exchange of ideas and challenges, and closer ties between processors,” she said.

“The Kentucky Association of Meat Processors will work to represent processors across the state in helping solve issues that face the industry,” she added.

She said, “The reviving of the association will help lead to a better-unified meat processing industry in the state. It will give meat processors the opportunity to work with others in the industry, and provide help to reach common goals of processors.”

Porteus said meat processing is a unique industry, with a lot of small and very small processors who all do things a little differently.

“Learning things from other processors is how a lot of us grow our businesses,” she said. “At a national level, we might learn about emerging flavor trends in meat products, or skills that will help us run our businesses more efficiently.

“At the state and local level, we can visit each other’s plants to see new equipment, or troubleshoot product issues by making a phone call to another processor we’ve met through the association,” she added. “The connection with our fellow processors at both the national and state level is meaningful, and will help to strengthen the meat processing industry in Kentucky.”

The Kentucky Association of Meat Processors has planned an event with the Indiana Meat Packers and Processors Association for Sept. 8-9, in Louisville, Ky.

“Teaming up with the Indiana association allows us the chance to network with even more processors,” Hardin said. “We will have suppliers joining us as well.”

Because Kentucky processors have operated for decades without the support of an association behind them, she said, “We want our processors to know that you are not alone in running your business, and we want to offer support. By joining the Kentucky Association of Meat Processors, our meat processing in the state will only strengthen, and we will have a much louder voice. We are addressing regulation issues, grant funding, workforce development, and several other areas that impact our state’s plants.

“As an organization, we have jumped right into addressing many of the issues that face meat processors,” she added.” We have gone beyond just getting our feet wet, and I am working daily to provide ways that strengthen our industry in the state.”