The Cooperative Development Institute is facilitating the development of a cooperative halal meat brand and Maine’s first exclusively halal-certified, USDA-regulated slaughter and processing facility to serve the growing demand for halal meat from Muslim and immigrant populations in Maine, thanks to support from the USDA Rural Business Development Grant.
The cooperative will be composed of local livestock producers and Five Pillars Butchery, an immigrant-owned business based in Unity, Maine. According to CDI’s field technician, there are up to 15 farmers who are interested in working as part of this cooperative effort. Six of these farmers are BIPOC, several are new, and one farm is operated by a cooperative of Somali women.
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