Scott Neun of Northfield Falls, Plant manager, and behild him, Richard Dion, of West Brookfield, the Head Meat Cutter at Royal Butchers work on meat that has been locally produced. Photo by Bill Croney, The Northfield News Finding a butcher to slaughter and cut up locally grown meat has been a problem in Vermont in recent years since regulations prohibit butchers from cutting up commercial meat and also cutting up locally grown meat.

One of the few butchers who has remained in business and is licensed to butcher locally grown meat is Royal Butchers in Braintree on Route 12A just this side of Randolph.

The Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation has just received a grant from the U.S.D.A. Rural Business Enterprises to fund a study to determine the feasibility of expanding Royal Butcher’s slaughtering facility.

“The Royal Butcher facility helps strengthen the critical connection between meat producers and Vermont consumers,” said Molly Lambert, USDA Rural Development State Director. “Studying the potential expansion of the facility is both an economic opportunity for the state and an occasion to encourage a national conversation on what we eat and where it comes from,” she added.

Joan Goldstein, executive director of GMEDC noted, “We are keen to help develop and expand the slaughter capacity of the state. More and more people, both locally and from outside the region, want to know how their food gets from the farm to the table and local slaughter helps them realize that goal.”