Javascript is required to use this website.

With butchers disappearing, high schools step in

By Jordan Hansen, Daily Montanan
Dec 4, 2025
Dec 4, 2025

raw meat steak pork chop — Only about 3,000 slaughterhouses and butchers remain in the United States.
IFT file photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Jordan Hansen, Daily Montanan

LEWISTOWN, Mont. (AP) — Slaughterhouses and butchers used to be scattered throughout the United States, numbering about 10,000 in 1967.

kAm~?=J 23@FE b[___ C6>2:? 2?5 23@FE gdT @7 E96 p>6C:42? >62EA24<:?8 :?5FDECJ :D 4@?EC@==65 3J 7@FC 4@>A2?:6D]k^Am

kAmp3@FE 92=7 @7 D>2== 2?5 >65:F> >62E AC@46DD@CD 92G6 5:D2AA62C65 :? E96 =2DE a_ J62CD[ 2?5 2 564256D\=@?8 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 x==:?@:D DEF5J 7@F?5 E96 2G6C286 =6?8E9 @7 2 >62E AC@46DD:?8 3FD:?6DD DFCG:G:?8 H2D h]f J62CD] q6EH66? :?DA64E:@?D[ DE2CEFA 4@DED 2?5 @E96C 724E@CD[ :E’D ?@E 2? 62DJ 3FD:?6DD E@ 86E :?E@ @C <66A 27=@2E]k^Am

kAm%92E’D E96 A=246 D@>6 65F42E@CD 2C6 =@@<:?8 E@ DE6A :?] u6C8FD w:89 $49@@= :? {6H:DE@H?[ |@?E2?E2[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ 92D 2 C@3FDE 28C:4F=EFC2= 65F42E:@? AC@8C2>] xE’D 2=D@ A2CE @7 E96 r6?EC2= |@?E2?2 r2C66C 2?5 %649?@=@8J t5F42E:@? p4256>J[ 2 AF3=:4 492CE6C D49@@= E92E H2D D6E FA E9:D J62C E@ 4@??64E DEF56?ED H:E9 D<:==D 2?5 <?@H=6586 ?66565 E@ H@C< :? 28C:4F=EFC6]k^Am

kAm{@82? %FC?6C[ @?6 E96 E62496CD 2E u6C8FD w:89 $49@@=[ AFE :E A@:?E65=J]k^Am

kAm“z:5D 2C6?’E C62==J 86EE:?8 :?E@ :E[” 96 D2:5] “rFEE:?8 >62E :D <:?5 @7 2 5J:?8 2CE]”k^Am

kAmw:D 8@2= 92D 366?[ :? A2CE[ E@ 96=A 492?86 E92E EC6?5] q6J@?5 >62E 4FEE:?8[ 4=2DD6D 2E E96 D49@@= :?4=F56 72C> 3FD:?6DD >2?286>6?E[ 723C:42E:@? 2?5 D4:6?46 4=2DD6D 862C65 E@H2C5 E6249:?8 23@FE D@:= 962=E9 2>@?8 @E96CD]k^Am

kAm%FC?6C 8C6H FA @? 9:D 72>:=J’D 72C> @FED:56 |:DD@F=2 2?5 BF:4<=J 564:565 96 H2?E65 E@ 36 2 E62496C] %96C6’D 2? FC86?4J 7@C 9:>[ H:E9 2 766=:?8 ?@ @?6 <?@HD H96C6 E96:C 7@@5 :D 4@>:?8 7C@> 2?5 2 8C@H:?8 A@AF=2E:@? E@ 7665]k^Am

People are also reading…

Good cattle and a giving nature: Late cowboy to receive hall of fame honors
County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Virtual fence shows potential for producers
Nebraska ranchers reel from fire losses
Divine intent of creation respected
Farmers visit Mexico ahead of USMCA talks
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Rural America at its finest: fire relief efforts in Nebraska show best of humanity
Seed, weeds and satellites at Commodity Classic
Social media talk burns my britches
Quality data, trust key to AI in agriculture
Rail merger would hurt farmers
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians

kAm“(6’G6 2=H2JD 366? 72465 H:E9 E9:D 3:8 :DDF6 2D 28C:4F=EFC2=:DED[” %FC?6C D2:5] “a_d_ :D C:89E 2C@F?5 E96 4@C?6C[ 2?5 E96C6’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 a 3:==:@? >@C6 A6@A=6 @? E96 7246 @7 E96 A=2?6E[ 2?5 9@H 2C6 H6 8@:?8 E@ 7665 E96> 2==n x E9:?< :E 2== DE2CED H:E9 65F42E:@? 2?5 F?56CDE2?5:?8 … 2?5 D@ x 76=E =:<6 36:?8 2? 65F42E@C AC@323=J H2D E96 36DE H2J 7@C >6 E@ 4@?EC:3FE6]”k^Am

kAmw2G:?8 <:5D =62C? 23@FE 28C:4F=EFC6 4@F=5 2=D@ 96=A E96> 6?E6C E96 H@C<7@C46 H:E9 >@C6 :562D 23@FE H92E E96J H2?E E@ 5@[ H9:49 :D @?6 @7 E96 8@2=D @7 E96 AC@8C2>] ~C:? y@9?D@?[ E96 r6?EC2= |@?E2?2 r%t p4256>J 5:C64E@C[ D2:5 E96J H2?E E@ 86E DEF56?ED 2D 4=@D6 2D A@DD:3=6 E@ 46CE:7:42E:@? :? 2 G2C:6EJ @7 42C66CD]k^Am

kAm“tG6CJ <:5 5@6D?’E =62C? E96 D2>6 H2J[” y@9?D@? D2:5] “p?5 D@>6 C62==J 5@ DEC:G6 2?5 ?665 E@ 36 92?5D @?[ 2?5 :E’D 23@FE 7:?5:?8 2 H2J E@ 4C62E6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E92E E96J 42? 36 92?5D @?]”k^Am

kAm$EF56?ED 2E E96 D49@@= 92G6 D9@H? :?E6C6DE 2?5 :E’D :?4=F565 A2CE?6CD9:AD H:E9 uFEFC6 u2C>6CD @7 p>6C:42 2?5 E96 |@?E2?2 u2C>6CD &?:@?[ H9:49 82G6 E96 >62E AC@46DD:?8 AC@8C2> EH@ 8C2?ED E@E2=:?8 23@FE S`b[___ @G6C E96 DF>>6C]k^Am

kAm“(6 5@ 2 =@E @7 >62E AC@46DD:?8 2E >J 9@FD6 3642FD6 >J 525 =@G6D 9F?E:?8[ 2?5 D@ H6 5@ 2 =@E @7 H:=5 82>6[” D2:5 $9J2??6 #:4<D[ 2 DEF56?E 2E E96 D49@@= H9@’D 8@?6 E9C@F89 E96 AC@8C2>] “p?5 D@ 5@:?8 E96 >62ED 4=2DD C62==J 96=AD H:E9 D66:?8 E96 H9@=6 AC@46DD[ ?@E ;FDE H:=5 82>6]”k^Am

kAm%96 @E96C {6H:DE@H? 28C:4F=EFC2= 65F42E:@? E62496C y2C65 {@?8 D2:5 E96 AC@8C2> @776CD 7:G6 A2E9H2JDi H6=5:?8[ ?2EFC2= C6D@FC46 2?5 4@?D6CG2E:@?[ >62E AC@46DD:?8[ 2?:>2= D4:6?46 2?5 28C:4F=EFC2= >6492?:4D]k^Am

kAm“%96 4@>>@? >:D4@?46AE:@? :D E92E :E’D ;FDE 4@HD 2?5 A=@HD[” {@?8 D2:5] “$@ E92E’D C62==J @FC ;@3[ H6 766= =:<6[ :D E@ @A6? 5@@CD E@ <:5D E92E E96J >:89E ?6G6C 92G6]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAm%9:D DE@CJ :D AC@G:565 3J $E2E6D }6HDC@@>[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E DE2E6 ?6HD ?6EH@C< 2?5 q=@I s:8:E2= 4@?E6?E A2CE?6C]k^Am