Greater Omaha Packing Company is the recipient of a $20 million Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) grant through the United States Department of Agriculture.
Greater Omaha will use the grant as part of a planned $100 million investment to upgrade and automate freezers, expand its wastewater system for increased capacity, remodel key areas for value added further processing, and increase its carcass holding coolers. In total, the Greater Omaha team estimates the capacity expansions will help Greater Omaha process an additional 700 head of cattle per day.
“This significant investment will allow the company to remain competitive in the marketplace and continue to support our small family feeder operators while providing incremental value back to the producers,” said Henry Davis, chief executive officer of Greater Omaha. “We believe the production expansions will keep us at the forefront of an ever-changing industry.”
Greater Omaha is one of only two MPPEP grant recipients in Nebraska, with a total of $73 million funds distributed across 21 grant projects in USDA’s first round of funding announced through Phase I of MPPEP.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack travelled to Omaha on Nov. 2, to formally present the $20 million grant. Several cattle producers attended the event, highlighting the impact the expanded production capacity will have for small, family farms.
“Since President Biden laid out a commitment at the start of this year, USDA has worked tirelessly to give farmers and ranchers a fair chance to compete in the marketplace,” said Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack. “By jumpstarting independent processing projects and increasing processing capacity at facilities like Greater Omaha Packing, these investments create more opportunities for farmers and ranchers to get a fair price, while strengthening supply chains, delivering more food produced closer to home for families, expanding economic opportunity and creating jobs in rural America.”
The MPPEP grant comes at a time when the company is expanding its Greater Omaha Angus and Greater Omaha Hereford branded beef programs. In addition, the Greater Omaha team has added new resources focused on supplier development to strengthen and build relationships with cattle producers.
As Greater Omaha looks toward the future, President Mike Drury is optimistic about the continued role Greater Omaha provides by bringing high-quality USA born-and-raised beef to market.
“At Greater Omaha, we focus on continuous improvement and doing the right thing – for our employees, producers, customers and the community,” Drury said. “This opportunity to enhance our production capacity will make a difference across the supply chain, from the cattle producer to the retail operator and foodservice chef receiving a safe, premium product.”
Source: Greater Omaha Packing Co.
