Policy discussions, such as "Make America Healthy Again," and consumer trends, such as the "clean label" movement, are dominant forces in the food industry. The meat sector is actively responding, according to Division of Extension meat specialist Jeff Sindelar.

Sindelar says the movement is particularly relevant to the meat industry because the product naturally starts as a whole food. 

"I think that the meat industry fits really well in that movement because meat itself comes from animals," he said. Cuts like steaks and pork chops "have very little processing."