​Challenges of finding goat meat raised in the U.S.

When it comes to goat meat, it can be a challenge to find in grocery stores. Sometimes specialty markets will carry it. But, if you do find it, it is likely imported all the way from Australia. 
 
Australia is one of the world’s largest exporters of goat meat. Most of the goat meat found for sale in grocery stores in the U.S. is sourced from Australia. According to Meat and Livestock Australia:

• imports of goat meat into our country have more than doubled in the last 10 years
• 98 percent of goat meat imported into the U.S. is from Australia
• In 2015, imports were about 40 million pound of goat meat to the U.S.

 
Most of these goats are semi-wild (feral), sourced from Australia’s rangeland.
 
Sourcing goat meat in the U.S.
So how can you find goat meat in the U.S., that’s raise right here in our own country? 

1. If a store in your area carries goat meat, check the label to see where it is from. If you can’t tell ask the manager to know if it’s imported or raised in the U.S. Food co-ops often carry food sourced from local farmers. You can ask the same question at restaurants as well.
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2.  Look for farms that raise and sell their meat direct to customers. It’s not always easy to do, but with a little homework you can hopefully find some good options. Several places to start include farmers markets, local foods listings and goat breeder organizations. Even an online search can help as well since many farms have an online presence and may even have online ordering options. 

Often buying direct from the farmer means purchasing a whole goat, cut and packaged to your liking. Sometimes you can also purchase individual cuts of meat, which can be convenient if you don’t have a lot of freezer space or want to enjoy a special recipe without needing to purchase large quantities of meat.  

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Let us be your choice for enjoying goat meat raised in the Upper Midwest on our farm. Sign up for our email list to know about upcoming sales, recipes and tips for cooking goat meat and updates on what's happening from our farm. In spring of 2020 we will be launching a new ordering website, with an option for shipping right to your doorstep.