A co-op aimed at family farmers

Five Star Harvest Cooperative will process meat for small farms
A new option is in the works that would make it easier for family farmers in south central Wisconsin to bring their animals to market.

Five Star Harvest Cooperative, a farmer-owned co-op, has been created with the goal of providing slaughtering and processing services for small farms more quickly and efficiently than traditional providers.

Bender Family Farms, in Green Lake County, is one of the farms involved in the project. Co-owner Becky Bender says landing an appointment with a major processor to bring animals for slaughter has always been challenging for small farms, as they have to compete with big cattle operators. But during the height of the pandemic, the problem worsened significantly.

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