Plans for Oregon processing plant move forward

The prospect of a local USDA-inspected meat processor in Coos County, Ore., advanced Wednesday during a session among producers, processors and business developers. Carrie Evins of Kansas-based Food & Livestock Planning carved out several options on how to steer the operation, should it come to fruition, reports The World (Coos Bay, Ore.).

Chris and Fred Bussman of Bussmann’s Mobile Ranch Butchering are looking to operate the plant, which would be federally inspected. Currently, Oregon has just nine processing plants, and none in the South Coast area.

The most likely plan would be a partnership between a processor and a producer-owned marketing company to dress and distribute products to local sellers. In a closed cooperative arrangement, compensation to producers could be a combination of animal value and company dividends, Evins explained.

The challenge in creating and operating a successful business, she added, would be in developing a brand to cater to the locally raised market. That would mean all participating producers would adhere to the same management methods to ensure product consistency.

'There has to be a heck of a lot of cooperation between you guys -- the producers," Evins said.

Source: The World