Jason Ainslie never intended to go into the meat processing business, nor did he ever intend to become an expert in the history of rabbit meat production in the United States. As an Army veteran, he was forced to change his plans after a combat injury ended his military career. That shift has led to a new career and an opportunity for other ex-military to get in on the ground floor of a business that’s meeting a growing consumer demand for rabbit meat.
“I was cavalry and was in a couple different wars — the first Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. I was finally wounded enough in Afghanistan where they retired me,” he explains. “Because of injuries I received in combat, I can’t eat red meat. It won’t go through my digestive system very well, so I had to eat white meat.