Connecting Processors and Apprentices
Our team is working to address the bottlenecks in the Minnesota meat processing industry through research and establishing a processing apprenticeship program.
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Our Team
Paul Sobocinski is a Redwood County sustainable livestock farmer who raises pigs for Niman Ranch, and cattle for direct and market sale. For 40 years, Paul was a farm organizer for the Land Stewardship Project and other organizations.
Don Arnosti has been an environmentalist working to support a sustainable local food system as a means to address environmental and social issues for 35 years. Don connects sustainable livestock and vegetable farmers and 200 interested consumers.
Tom Nuessmeier farms in Le Sueur county and directly markets pigs to customers using the excellent meat lockers located near his farm. He has many years of experience as a rural organizer, and joined the Bottleneck Project team in November of 2023.
Rashid Mfinanga is a research assistant currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, focusing in Urban and Regional Planning. He has over four years of experience as a ward executive in Tanzania supervising the agricultural activities in Kilimanjaro region. He has worked in ensuring inclusion and the project's reach to African communities.
Courtney VanderMey was a Livestock Grant Administrator with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture(MDA). She currently is the Farm and Business Development Coordinator with the Ag Marketing and Development Division of MDA. She completed her master's degree in Agribusiness at Kansas State University. Her thesis was a needs assessment of meat processing businesses in Minnesota with the goal of assisting with business growth and transition (team member from 2021-2023) Currently an advisor to our team.
Maya Benedict is a former graduate student at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, with a public health policy and rural health focus (2021-2023). She has six years of experience as a butcher and operations manager of a Saint Paul butcher shop specializing in locally-sourced meats. She is currently a grant administrator for the AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant at Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture. She is also the grant administrator for AGRI Value-Added Grant program.
Ted Suss is a Redwood County small-scale sustainable livestock producer. He has decades of experience in the educational system, serving as a rural school district administrator, as well as the Executive Director of the State Board of Education (team member from 2021-2023)
Don Arnosti has been an environmentalist working to support a sustainable local food system as a means to address environmental and social issues for 35 years. Don connects sustainable livestock and vegetable farmers and 200 interested consumers.
Tom Nuessmeier farms in Le Sueur county and directly markets pigs to customers using the excellent meat lockers located near his farm. He has many years of experience as a rural organizer, and joined the Bottleneck Project team in November of 2023.
Rashid Mfinanga is a research assistant currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, focusing in Urban and Regional Planning. He has over four years of experience as a ward executive in Tanzania supervising the agricultural activities in Kilimanjaro region. He has worked in ensuring inclusion and the project's reach to African communities.
Courtney VanderMey was a Livestock Grant Administrator with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture(MDA). She currently is the Farm and Business Development Coordinator with the Ag Marketing and Development Division of MDA. She completed her master's degree in Agribusiness at Kansas State University. Her thesis was a needs assessment of meat processing businesses in Minnesota with the goal of assisting with business growth and transition (team member from 2021-2023) Currently an advisor to our team.
Maya Benedict is a former graduate student at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, with a public health policy and rural health focus (2021-2023). She has six years of experience as a butcher and operations manager of a Saint Paul butcher shop specializing in locally-sourced meats. She is currently a grant administrator for the AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant at Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture. She is also the grant administrator for AGRI Value-Added Grant program.
Ted Suss is a Redwood County small-scale sustainable livestock producer. He has decades of experience in the educational system, serving as a rural school district administrator, as well as the Executive Director of the State Board of Education (team member from 2021-2023)
Our Partners
In the Media
3/14/24 Solving the Meat Processing Bottleneck Project participate in the Minnesota Association of Meat Processors (MAMP) Annual Convention11/23/22 Fixing Minnesota's meat processing industry is a work in progress - Ag Week8/8/22 State's small meat processors need skilled workforce, report says - Mankato Free Press
10/6/22 Finding the Next Generation of Minnesota Butchers - Twin Cities Business Magazine
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7/29/22 UMN report: small meat processors in Minnesota facing challenges - Supermarket Perimeter7/22/22 Minnesota's meat lockers need apprentices to solve bottlenecks, report says - Star Tribune8/22/2022 Report offers ways for Minnesota meat processors to replenish diminished workforce - Ag Week8/13/2022 Small meat processing shops offer big benefits to rural communities - Minnesota Farm Guide |