STAPLES — Farmers in north-central Minnesota now have a closer option for getting their livestock processed.
Officials from both parties and all levels of government attended a ribbon cutting Tuesday, Aug. 18, for the Minnesota Farmers Union's new slaughter and processing facility. The plant is just minutes from Central Lakes College’s Staples campus, home of one of the two meat-cutting programs in the state.
The idea for the project began in 2019, when county farmers unions passed resolutions calling for more training for meat cutters. The workforce shortage contributes to a lack of processing options for producers.
"I said, 'Yeah, that's a good resolution, but we need to do more than that,'" union President Gary Wertish said at the ribbon cutting. "I don't want to just be training meat cutters to get boxed meat at grocery stores, cut it up — to not do anything for farmers and not doing anything for rural communities."
Before this facility opened, area producers were bringing their cows, pigs and sheep as far as Cannon Falls.
"That's a long way to go," said Carol Anderson, chair of the union's executive committee. "With diesel at over 5 bucks a gallon, that's expensive. And the farmer then doesn't have to do that, there's not as much stress on the animal, so you know, this just gives a whole new market."
Family farms across the country struggle with limited access to markets, and the issue is especially pronounced in the meat processing industry. Four companies control about 80%-85% of beef production and about 70% of pork production.
"People need options, right?" Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, said Tuesday. "They need choices, and they need more than just the big guys. And this is good for farmers. It's good for producers. It's good for communities. It's good for consumers."
Smith and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who both helped secure funding for the project, attended the ribbon cutting. So did state Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen, state Rep. Isaac Schultz, R-Elmdale Township, and both candidates running for House District 5B, which includes Staples.
The warehouse itself is relatively small. There are a few pens for livestock, a freezer and offices for staff. The bulk of the work happens in two large trailers —mobile units made by Washington-based company Friesla — parked inside the warehouse, one for slaughtering and one for processing.
It's small in terms of capacity, too. The plant can process up to 15 heads a day. Long Prairie Packing a half-hour to the south does 1,500 to 2,000 a day, according to Dave Endicott, who works on meat processing projects for the union and helped start Central Lakes College's program. The plant will also provide training opportunities for meat cutters.
"We're definitely on the small end of that scale, which is fine," he said. " ... This is the place to be processed, for sure."
Some of the meat will be sold directly to consumers, by the farmer or from a planned retail space at the facility.
Plant Manager Robb Kasal and Anderson said they've also heard from food distributors interested in regularly getting meat from the facility, using local livestock.
Kasal said they've worked with six or seven producers since slaughter began in early June, most of them small operations. One is a cattle ranch of a couple hundred head.
"But we need to continue to build. We need a list of, I would say, comfortably, 25-30 producers that are regularly cycling through," he said.
Staples Mayor Ron Murray said area producers have welcomed the plant.
"They are very appreciative," he said. " ... The word collaboration gets thrown around a lot. But I do believe this is another example of how collaboration with the local, state and federal is alive and well in Staples and makes us stronger and helping us grow."
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