Inmates at Saginaw Corrections Center Process Meat
Proposed Pilot Program Would Give Inmates Butcher's License
Need some steaks for the grill? Get a fresh cut from a Minnesota correctional facility.
Inmates at the Northeast Regional Corrections Center in Saginaw are already processing and selling meat.
A state senator wants to turn the institution’s work into a pilot program that gives inmates a butcher’s license.
Sen. David Tomassoni introduced a bill Monday.
A similar bill was introduced in the House.
The measure could help address a shortage of butchers while giving inmates a path to reintegrate into society.
The proposal comes as demand for locally produced beef is surging, but the ranks of butchers are dwindling.
The facility mostly houses low-level offenders imprisoned for probation violations or minor drug offenses.
Tomassoni calls the proposal “a little tool” to give inmates a shot at a new career.