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From Knives to Knobs: Sustainability and Smart Skills in Meat Value Chains

Smart manufacturing presents meat processors with an opportunity to bolster their sustainability performance, while enhancing quality and productivity. But for meat processors to harness smart manufacturing, their workers need the right skills. This research examines the extent to which smart manufacturing can mitigate high-priority sustainability issues in the meat value chain, while highlighting the worker skills needed to realize its full potential.

What are the dominant social, environmental, and sustainability issues facing meat processors, grocery retailers, and food service retailers? How can smart manufacturing—robotics, automation, and digitization—help meat processors address sustainability issues? What new skills will workers need to develop? What actions do companies need to take to address these issues?

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