Arkansas sheep and goat workshops aim to strengthen supply chain, expand markets

 

Lamb dish from Anderson Roccha's new cookbook.

By Sarah Cato

University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

 

Fast facts

·       Arkansas sheep and goat producers face limited markets, supply chain issues

Upcoming extension workshops to address meat processing and cooking techniques

·       Speaker Anderson Rocha to release new cookbook at workshops

 

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Extension Small Ruminant team, led by extension specialist Dan Quadros, is filling gaps in the sheep and goat supply chain in Arkansas with two October workshops covering cooking techniques and proper meat processing methods. 

The speaker for both events will be Anderson Rocha, an internationally renowned animal scientist and chef with 25 years of experience.

“Arkansas sheep and goat producers face many challenges, and we are hoping these workshops will tackle two of the biggest: lack of markets and supply chain issues,” Quadros said. “We are very fortunate to have Anderson Rocha lead these workshops and unveil his new cookbook, featuring lamb and goat recipes.” 

Expanding markets

One major hurdle Arkansas sheep and goat producers face is that the meats are just not very popular in the state. However, by encouraging Arkansas chefs to include lamb and goat meat in their dishes, Quadros hopes to expand the market for and consumption of lamb and goat in Arkansas.

“It has been proven that trying a dish in a restaurant is a gateway to increasing consumption. However, lamb and goat meat are not commonly featured on menus in the state except in some ethnic and upscale restaurants,” Quadros said. “Our goal is to promote the use of lamb and goat in the culinary arts and strengthen our local food systems.”

A Sheep and Goat Culinary Course, aimed at chefs, culinary students and educators, will be held Oct. 28-29 at the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks in Springdale. Topics covered will include:

·       Butchery

·       Cooking techniques catered to specific cuts

·       Flavor profiles

·       Presentation

The workshop has a registration fee of $150 with a 50 percent discount available to culinary students and educators. Lunch will be provided, and the registration deadline is Oct. 28. Find registration forms and more information on the Arkansas Extension Small Ruminants blog.

Strengthening the supply chain

“When we surveyed Arkansas sheep and goat producers, one major off-farm challenge that was consistently brought up was the lack of meat processors properly trained in small ruminants,” Quadros said. “Our first workshop this month is for our meat processing workforce to help fill this gap.

A Sheep and Goat Carcass Fabrication Workshop will be held Oct. 22-23 at the Arkansas State University Meat Lab in Jonesboro. Topics covered will include: 

·       State and federal inspection 

·       Carcass classification

·       Charcuterie

·       Packing

·       Primal and subprimal cuts.

This workshop has a registration fee of $150 with a 50 percent discount available to sheep and goat producers. Lunch will be included, and the registration deadline is Oct. 22. Find registration forms and more information on the Arkansas Extension Small Ruminants blog.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.