The Next Big Market for Wyoming Beef: Wyoming

Wyoming has deep pride in its ranching industry. But real Wyoming beef can be tough to find in-state.

It's a problem compounded by high demand outside Wyoming, a growing international market and a lack of USDA-certified processing facilities.

That forces many Wyoming ranchers to sell to larger packers at a fraction of what they could make independently.

The status quo will change soon: A Laramie processing plant and retail facility is set to open within a year.

It will join another such plant in Fremont County and help small producers who want to sell locally.