Bull market.

• Position: SPONSORED SECTION: CASH CROP - Agricultural Industry financial report - Financial report

Consumers are hungry for locally raised and butchered meat. More than 1,000 registered meat handlers statewide make sure they get their fill.

Some North Carolina farms sport unique names. There is Achin' Back Acres in Columbus, Cock-A-Doodle in LaGrange and Two Shovels in McLeansville. But the farms have a common purpose: They are among the more than 1,000 registered meat handlers--farmers, processors and distributors--that raise cattle, hogs and other animals and inspect and package meat that's distributed within the state.

It's an industry that goes back about 15 years. "Back in 2002, I think we had two registered meat and poultry handlers," says W. Alan Wade, director of inspections at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. "And when you take a look at our list, you'll see how it has turned out. Some [handlers] started to sell to friends and neighbors, and then to a lot of farmers markets. When that became an avenue, it went to some retail stores. And some is going out of state as well. Their objective is farm-raised. It's nothing like the product you see in the retail stores. It's a really big movement here in North Carolina, especially with people who are health-conscious."

North Carolina farms and individuals had more than 147 million pounds of red meat and 79 million pounds of poultry processed in 177 agency-approved plants in 2014. Wade believes those amounts will grow as more value-added products--such as sausages or hot dogs--are introduced. "I see the demand for the product, and when we add the value-added product, there'll be no end to it. I see nothing but continued expansion. I see demand for the products and the people involved in it. I don't know of any other state that has it quite like this."

Jennifer Curtis is co-CEO of Durham-based Firsthand Foods LLC. It processes and distributes meat from about 30 beef farms and 20 pork farms. "We don't farm. We don't slaughter. We partner with those who do. It's a great relationship, because the farmer doesn't have to [distribute meat] to the farmers market, and the customer doesn't have to pay full price. It helps everybody out." Her company can commit to the number of animals to be sold a year in advance. "Then I'll call the farmer and take it from there. I'll send a cut...