Meat processing demand builds education and business opportunities in rural Minnesota

There’s a quiet revolution happening in Staples, Minnesota—one cut of meat at a time. As small-town butchers retire and centralized meatpacking plants reveal their fragility, students like Parker Witulski and Tay Faber are stepping into the gap. Their training ground? A first-of-its-kind modular meat processing lab at Central Lakes College. It’s more than hands-on education—it’s a blueprint for rebuilding local meat infrastructure. With the Minnesota Farmers Union also breaking ground nearby, the effort is gaining muscle. This isn’t just about jobs; it’s about food resilience rooted in place.