per cent lean trimmings was $$2\mathrm{.}77$ per pound. ${?}^{15}$ The total cost to MHMT was $$0\mathrm{.}68$ cents higher than the

posted Cargill rate after taking into account delivery to the farm and MHMT$\text{'}$s inability to receive the same

quantity discounts as the large industry producers.

MHMT$\text{'}$s meat shop was about $12$ metres by $11$ metres $(40$ feet by $36$ feet$)$ and consisted of the main

production facility with smokers, industrial size fridges and freezers, grinders, extruders to form the jerky,

and a packaging machine. The rest of the space was taken up by an$,$ office space, washroom, and a storage

room for spices$-$which also doubled as a workspace for preparing the seasonings for flavour. Although

currently functional, the shop was running at almost full capacity, so a new facility or additional space

would be required if MHMT were to increase production.

In a typical daily production run, $700$ units of product could be produced and packaged using four $30-$

kilogram boxes of meat. Typically, one flavour was made per day; however, on some days, it was necessary

to split the production between two flavours. MHMT could produce a second batch of $700$ units in a day

but this often resulted in a backlog at the packaging machine. MHMT usually operated from Monday to

Friday but could operate on weekends if necessary. The total time from opening a new box of meat to

shipping the snack products was usually less than one week.

The second largest input cost in the production process was labour. Meat preparation, spice mixing,

grinding, extruding, putting the jerky onto racks and into the smokehouse, and finally clean$-$up$,$ took one

person around five hours. Packaging was the third largest input cost and was also the biggest bottleneck in

the production cycle. Due to its repetitiveness, packaging was difficult on an employee's arms and

shoulders. The packaging position was currently staffed but Pahl would take on shifts, especially if a double

production run was being processed. Once packaged, the jerky was ready to be distributed.

MHMT distributed the final product locally. In Medicine Hat, this meant packing the family van with beef

jerky and delivering it to the local stores. The company also used four shipping companies to send the

finished product directly from the shop to out$-$of$-$town customers, depending on rates. The family had

evaluated the use of a dedicated distribution company but found the added costs prohibitive.

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Product development of meat snacks to meet changing consumer demands for convenient, nutritious,

flavourful, and fresh foods had increased manufacturers' investment. As with many modern industries,

rapid changes in markets and technology had caused volatile profitability for many players, resulting in

strategic responses such as consolidation and diversification. Acquisitions was one of the easiest ways for

companies to grow in the snack$-$food industry. There had also been a move by some meat production

companies to diversify their product offerings in an effort to find alternative channels of profitability. Some

large food producers were vertically integrated into the supply of livestock and slaughtering plants.

Meat producers frequently treated animals with antibiotics to prevent disease and speed growth, but the topic

had become a source of debate among stakeholders. Government agencies, health advocacy groups, and some

consumers contended that the overuse of antibiotics in food animals was giving rise to drug$-$resistant bacteria

strains that could infect humans. Companies that phased out antibiotics could benefit from the rising demand

Question $1(1$ point$)$

What was the Newburgh Conspiracy?

A plan to assassinate George Washington.

A plan by officers of the Continental Army to challenge the authority of the Confederation Congress.

A plan to free the enslaved people of New York.

A plan to sell Vermont to the British.