U.S. in Midst of Goat Shortage? Sounds Like an Opportunity

Just loved this piece in the Kansas City Star about how the country is in the grip of a goat shortage.

I knew that demand for goat meat was on the rise.

Increasing immigrant populations have been a boon to local farmers who have the space to grow meat goats and raise/slaughter them according to ethnic traditions.

But the Star says now that demand is so high that there’s an actual shortage.

Missouri’s meat goat population is actually shrinking. Indeed, the Star reports that the U.S. imports 750,000 goats a year, largely from down under.

Wow. Talk about an opportunity for farmers with space.

That definitely makes me want to re-think the small field at the bottom of the hill.

One thing about goats is that we may not need to do much clearing before putting the goats in.

As David Burton, communications specialist at University of Missouri Extension in Springfield, told the Star, “Goats will eat your weeds and brush, thistle — typically stuff cattle won’t touch.”

Photo from chelseagirl’s Flickr photostream.