Owner Jessica Smith inspects beef carcasses in the hanging cooler Friday, July 22, 2016, at This Old Farm, 9572 W County Road 650 S in Colfax. Staff photo by John Terhune
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Jessica Smith, owner of This Old Farm in Colfax, said the United States is losing between 3 percent and 5 percent of its processing infrastructure each year, meaning that farmers are continually losing options for places that process meat and produce — an issue that especially impacts small farms.
Smith said the steady loss of processing facilities around the country was the impetus for starting This Old Farm, a business offering processing resources, educational opportunities, and marketing for local farms and farmers.
This Old Farm is one of only a few facilities in the state certified by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, which means farmers can sell wares processed there across state lines. Additionally, This Old Farm uses all natural processing and has options for non-GMO processing, as well. Best of all, Smith said, the product is 100 percent traceable not just to the farm but to the processing service.
"I was at a large processing operation and they were so proud they could track the product to the box," Smith said. "We track back down to the livestock."
Beyond processing services, This Old Farm offers courses for farmers and marketing assistance.
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