Team Up: Local Business Supports Producers And Hogs For Hunger
By: Emma Alexander –
“We are excited to be the processor for Hogs for Hunger! This initiative helps many families,” shares Lyn Henderson, owner of Kempf’s Custom Butchering located near Sedalia in #Agri-Ready Designated Pettis County. Kempf’s is again joining forces with local hog producers through Hogs For Hunger. When producers, businesses and agricultural leaders team up, agriculture’s bounty makes it to the plates of neighbors in need. Kempf’s will serve as the state fair pork processor for Hogs for Hunger (H4H), an initiative of Missouri Farmers Care’s Drive to Feed Kids.
But First, Community Service
Lyn and Wendy Henderson established clear priorities when they became Missouri business owners in 2023.
“Since we weren’t from here, it was very important for us to become involved members of the Sedalia community,” Lyn shares. “We are glad to support local efforts with resources and services. Hogs for Hunger is an opportunity to help many families at once.”
Kempf’s support of H4H is an investment. Doated hogs are cared for and kept cool for a couple of days before the entire team at Kempf’s contributes a day or more to processing, trimming, and grinding donated pork so that it can benefit food pantries through Feeding Missouri, a network of six food banks serving over 1,500 pantries in communities statewide.
More Service Opportunities
“Kempf’s most unique community service has been providing intact lungs and tracheas from hogs to a local first responder group. They used those parts for medical training,” Lyn smiles as he points to pictures from the training on his wall. “Trained first responders are important. You never know when you’ll be the one needing their services.”
Through Kempfs, the Hendersons also sponsor local fairs, ball teams, 4-H projects, are partners of Share the Harvest during deer season, and active volunteers with the Sedalia Rotary Club.
Looking For Something Different
Lyn is a career entrepreneur. Over the decades, he has owned a variety of businesses, but as he planned for his next venture, he was seeking the personal challenge of a business he hadn’t experienced before. His goal as an entrepreneur is to apply his business acumen while working with an experienced operations team. Kempf’s checked all the boxes.
Kempf’s HistoryAlvin Kempf moved from Arkansas to Missouri and started Kempf’s Butchering in 1987. Amidst loss, rebuilding, and expansion, the business passed to multiple members of the Kempf family. In January 2023, Lyn and Wendy Henderson purchased the business and moved from Arkansas to Missouri. Learn more about Kempf’s history here.
Recognizing Local Value
“When I bought Kempf’s, I had new ideas. We could sell a larger variety of products or shift away from the processing model,” Lyn remembers. “But when we got here it didn’t take long for us to recognize the need for custom meat processing and the value of Kempf’s in this community. It’s tough enough to run a farm profitably. We didn’t want to take away the ability of local producers to be able to process locally.”
Source Local – Support Local
Kempf’s offers fresh and frozen meat and more in their retail store which also supports local livestock producers.
“Buying from local family farms is a big deal to us. We personally know the farmers that we buy from. Almost everything in our stores comes from a live animal that we have processed,” Lyn says.
Under the Hendersons’ management, Kempf’s has kept the superb recipes that customers have come love and expect.
“Our venison recipes draw customers from all over the region. It is not lost on us that some of them could drop their deer harvest off at another processor that they pass on their way here,” Lyn comments.
A Little Something New
Under Lyn’s leadership, the team at Kempf’s strives to add efficiency to the business by improving their processes. Currently processing under inspection by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Kempf’s is in the process of adding USDA Inspected processing to its services. They are even working on a few new recipes.
“Our favorite addition has been opening a second fresh retail location. We are excited that this expansion is part of a revitalization project taking shape in downtown Sedalia,” Lyn shares. “We offer an expanded Missouri made section with nuts, cheese, jams, and more. It is a great place for people to find quality, local meats.”
The Family Business
What is Hogs for Hunger (H4H)?Hogs for Hunger is a special initiative of MFC’s Drive to Feed Kids. One pig can change lives by feeding 525 Missourians in need. Hogs can be donated locally or at the Missouri State Fair. State fair processing will be following the open barrow show. Exhibitors will receive a stipend of $200. Processing costs are provided by the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation and Drive to Feed Kids partners. Learn more at www.mofarmerscare.com/hogs-for-hunger/
The Hendersons are proud to call Sedalia home and that Kempf’s is now a family affair. Their daughter Haleigh Brunner joined the business as retail sales manager and son-in-law, Brandon, works in the business as well. Their first grandchild, JJ, is learning about business at an early age, too.
#Agri-Ready Designated Pettis County. In #Agri-Ready Designated Pettis County, agriculture, food and forestry contributes $398.4 million in total value-added products, supports more than 6,750 jobs, and adds $345.0 million annually to household incomes according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study. Primary Meat Processing is the top contributing industry in each of these categories.
What Is #Agri-Ready Designation? Agri-Ready Designation is a voluntary partnership between county governments and MFC to protect, promote, and encourage future development of agriculture as a thriving component in Missouri’s economy.
DTFK By the Numbers: The Drive raised more than 711,000 meals in 2024. Over the past eight years, Missouri agriculture has donated more than 13 million meals to food insecure Missourians in every county through the Drive. All donations support the Drive and the work of Feeding Missouri network food banks who work daily to alleviate hunger in every Missouri county and the city of St. Louis.