Raising livestock is the oldest and most basic form of value-added agriculture. By feeding crops to animals, farmers get a higher value for their raw commodities. Today, livestock producers are actively involved in developing new uses and markets.

Pork.

Minnesota farmers raised more than 8.8 million hogs in 1997, placing the state behind only Iowa and North Carolina in hog production.

Marjie Webb, new product director for the National Pork Producers Council, says value-added pork products may be showing up in new places. “Our push over the next 18 months or so will be to include pork products on menus in fast food restaurants,” Webb says. This fall, McDonald’s started marketing McGrilled pork sandwiches in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, along with the restaurant’s McRib pork sandwich. The food service industry is another growing market for pork.

AURI is helping many Minnesota companies develop consumer-friendly pork products, and is continuing research into keeping the state a healthy place for raising livestock. AURI activities range from food processor safety instruction to hog odor testing and mortality disposal.

Beef.

It’s still what’s for dinner in most American homes.

Seventy percent of beef is sold at the retail level, yet the past decade has seen a leveling off in beef consumption across all genders and age groups. Since Minnesota farmers raised about 2.6 million cattle in 1998, cultivating new markets is key to maintaining a strong beef industry.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is the marketing organization and trade association for the nation’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. NCBA research shows two-thirds of Americans’ dinner decisions are made the same day, with 73 percent made after 4:30 p.m. Beef product manufacturers are developing items that meet consumers’ desire for “easy beef.” From rotisserie beef to microwaveable pot roasts, new products provide a variety of meal ideas.

“By delivering retail beef products that fit the bill for great taste, simplicity and convenience, retailers give their customers more reasons to visit their store,” says Jerry Kelly, NCBA retail marketing director.

Foodservice outlets are also seeing a resurgence of beef consumption. The NCBA says casual steakhouse traffic has increased 73 percent since 1993, and hamburgers and steak sandwiches are among the fastest-growing sandwiches in foodservice. “We can sell steak,” says Ron Eustice, executive director of the Minnesota Beef Research and Promotion Council. “We’re working to add value to less popular cuts like chuck and round.”

AURI has assisted in developing coarse ground beef for wholesale and in direct marketing beef products. AURI has also worked with Minnesota companies to develop procedures such as a meat rinsing and chilling technique and on-site lab facilities to ensure only safe meats reach consumers.

Dairy.

“America’s Dairyland” may be Wisconsin’s tag line, but Minnesota’s farmers produced more than 9.2 billion pounds of milk in 1997.

Minnesota’s share of total U.S. production is roughly six percent.

Dairy Management Inc., the organization responsible for increasing demand for dairy products, focused its 1998 research on cheese, whey and milk powders, fluid milk and milkfat.
Work is underway to develop edible films and coatings, emulsifiers and extenders for ground meat products from whey and milk powders. Uses also include carriers for nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, vitamins and essential nutrients.

New milk beverage and probiotic technologies are being combined to make milk products that aid in food digestion. And research will also provide milkfat-based emulsifiers for bakery products, frozen desserts and other applications.

AURI supports dozens of dairy projects. Two of the most innovative are “Blenders” frozen ice cream drinks and kefir, a dairy-based beverage.

Blenders combines ice cream and alcohol into a creamy adult dessert with flavors such as Brandy Alexander, Pink Squirrel and Grasshopper. Kefir is a probiotic dairy beverage beneficial for digestive health. Other AURI research has investigated butterfat fractionation, lactic acid and cultured whey.

Aquaculture.

The land famous for its 10,000 lakes is also home to fish farmers.

According to the Minnesota Private Aquaculture Industry Report of 1996, 85 private hatcheries and fish farms produced and sold fish or other aquatic animals. Those 85 “commercial” growers sold more than $3 million worth of products in 1996 and employed over 100 people.

Most producers raise fish for bait, or raise and sell eggs, fry or fingerlings for stocking lakes or other markets. In 1996, only 17 producers sold fish for human consumption. Rainbow trout and tilapia together accounted for 88 percent of all the food fish sales, although seven species were grown.

AURI has helped several aquaculture ventures, including MinAqua Fisheries in Renville, the state’s largest recirculating production facility and one of North America’s largest tilapia producers. The fishery recaptures waste heat from a sugar beet processing plant to warm tank water to 85 degrees. MinAqua harvested about two million pounds of fish in 1998.

Other aquaculture-related projects include perch fingerlings for grower stock and fish feed research.

Sheep.

Minnesota farmers raised more than 170,000 sheep and lambs in 1997 and produced just over one million pounds of wool.

But when it comes to developing new value-added products, the industry has some room for growth.

“We’ve got to continue with new product development,” says Minnesota Lamb and Wool Producers Association President Dale Carter. He points to two projects involving AURI as among the most progressive. AURI is helping Prairie Lamb Cooperative develop value-added lamb cuts for consumer markets and the U of M West Central Experiment Station in Morris test a wool agricultural mulch. Wool may be able to repress weeds and conserve moisture in various settings, including apple orchards, strawberry patches and under electric fences.

Poultry and eggs.

Minnesota ranks second only to North Carolina in U.S. turkey production; producers here raised 44 million turkeys in 1998.

And Minnesota, the home of Jennie-O and Goldn’ Plump, raised 46.3 million chickens in 1997.

The poultry industry is already making great strides in consumer-friendly products such as turkey breasts, ham, ground patties, sausages and nuggets, and rotisserie and precooked barbecue chicken.

“We will see even more value-added products develop,” says Marilyn McAlpine of the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council. “Leaders like The Turkey Store and Jennie-O have been very innovative in developing new turkey products.”

Minnesota is the country’s 8th largest egg producer. In 1997, the value of nearly three million Minnesota-produced eggs was over $137 million. Beside dinner and restaurant tables, eggs are finding their way into 50 processed products as ingredients. In 1997, almost 29 percent of U.S. produced eggs were further processed for foodservice, manufacturing, retail and export.

Alternative livestock.

Alternative livestock producers also dot the landscape in Minnesota, as farmers attempt to tap additional revenue sources.

Minnesota has about 170 deer and elk producers, says Dr. Bill Hartmann of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Herds range from several animals to almost 100, and deer varieties include red, fallow and sika.

Bison once ran wild over parts of Minnesota; now they are farm-raised. Ed Eichten of the Minnesota Buffalo Association estimates there are between 150 and 175 growers in the state, with a herd total of 5,000 to 10,000. A number of the herds belong to the North American Bison Cooperative, based in North Dakota.

Large flightless birds, such as emu, ostrich and ratites, can also be found on Minnesota farms. Approximately 300 emu and 200 ostrich growers are raising the birds for their meat, feathers, leather and oil.

Other value-added ventures include rabbits, game birds such as pheasants, and fur-bearing animals such as mink.