20 to Watch in RI in 2020: Pat McNiff

20 to Watch in RI in 2020: Pat McNiff

You can’t get much more local than Pat’s Pastured in Rhode Island. 

McNiff and his team at Pat's Pastured in East Greenwich have taken the business back to the basics.

Their model allows their livestock to graze in a pasture environment, improving the land through organic measures — and providing Rhode Islanders with fresh quality meat. 

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

“That means that pigs get to root, run and play; chickens get to peck, scratch and crow; turkeys gobble and strut; cows eat grass outside, not corn in confinement,” says McNiff. 

And Pat’s Pastured is everywhere — you can pick up orders from Pat’s at farmer’s markets going on in Newport, Narragansett, or Pawtucket, visit the farm store on Fridays and Saturdays — or have the meat delivered directly to you. 

Appearing on GoLocal LIVE’s Business Monday, McNiff discussed the farm's meat production, retail efforts at farmers' markets, use of solar to produce energy on the farm, and their new home delivery.

It is an unlikely story of a history major from suburban Long Island, who came to Rhode Island to attend Providence College and play lacrosse, who then helped create one of Rhode Island’s most interesting businesses and successful farms.

As Rhode Islanders look more and more to buy local — and know where their food is coming from — except to see more from Pat’s Pastured as it continues to grow.