When you visit Dayton Meat Products in Malcolm, Iowa, there stands a very good chance that a member of the Dayton family made your sausage, packaged your bacon, checked you out and even talked to you about buying a grill.

Under owner-operator Gary Crane and his wife Tess' guidance, Ralph's Packing has evolved from a slaughter and meat-cutting operation to one of the country's most awarded small meat processors. With daughter Erica Hering and son-in-law Jason guiding the business forward and their teenaged sons already learning the ropes, Ralph's is well-positioned to grow its business further than ever.

By their nature, family businesses are inherently susceptible to business breakups.

For almost 150 years, residents of Northern Kentucky have turned to the Rice family for their meat product needs.

This month’s cover story brought me to Crescent Springs in Northern Kentucky. (Note to readers: Do NOT call Northern Kentucky “the Cincinnati area” to anyone who’s from there.)

For three generations, Azar Sausage has been one of Florida’s top meat processors.