Cargill Meat SolutionsWichita, KS, United States

Consumers Interested in Bison - Bison, otherwise known as buffalo, is a new player in meat products manufacturing. Bison meat, until recently, was considered a niche product, but in the past couple of years became popular with consumers because of perceived health and environmental benefits compared to beef or pork. According to the National Bison Association, bison slaughter in 2007 was 15 percent higher than in the previous year.

Slaughterhouses Brace for California Fallout - A video released by the Humane Society of the United States is causing major ripples in the meat products industry. The video shows workers abusing cattle before killing them, and approving so-called "downer" cattle (those sometimes associated with having mad cow disease) for slaughter. The activities, which occurred at California-based Hallmark Meat Packing, has resulted in operations being stopped at that facility, and in calls from Congress to more closely scrutinize all meat packing facilities.

USDA in Court for Allowing Canadian Beef - Canada, which survived a mad cow disease scare in 2003, doesn't require testing for mad cow throughout its beef industry, which concerns many in the US industry. A lawsuit was recently filed against the USDA for allowing Canadian beef to be imported and sold alongside US beef. Consumer groups, meat products manufacturers, and others want country of origin labeling to alert consumers of possible danger from foreign beef.