Contract is signed for meat processing facility

The Odessa Public Development Authority (OPDA) has signed a design/build contract with Spokane-based Garco Construction for a new 7,000 square foot USDA livestock processing facility to be built in the Odessa Industrial Park. The OPDA will lease the facility to the Livestock Processors Cooperative Association (LPCA) with a purchase option.

The LPCA was organized in 2010 under the leadership of the Cattle Producers of Washington (CPoW) and currently has 62 members. On October 26 of this year, LPCA president Willard Wolf presented an update on the status of the Odessa facility to the Cattle Producers of Washington at their annual meeting held in Moses Lake.

The co-op’s board voted to increase the capacity of the meat-processing plant from 20 to 40 animals per day. The increased capacity is expected to add $300,000 to the cost of the plant, but its footprint will remain the same at 7,000 square feet.

Project manager Sue Lani Madsen says that $221,000 has already been invested in the project for purchase of the land, engineering and construction of a road, and extension of the utility lines to the construction site. Another $553,000 has been budgeted for holding pens, custom rails, refrigeration, insulated coolers and processing equipment.

The new multi-species facility will serve producers throughout eastern Washington and bordering areas of Oregon and northern Idaho to provide a greater variety of fresh, local meats to the region’s consumers.

“The primary goal of the LPCA is to build and operate a new livestock processing facility focused on locally produced quality for consumers and service for producers,” explains Sue Lani Madsen, OPDA project manager and LPCA co-op member.

The first of its kind in the region, the Odessa facility will serve small to mid-sized producers. The new plant will offer USDA carcass inspection, processing, packaging and improved access to retail markets previously unavailable to local producers.

“Smaller and mid-size producers ship out of the area over 3,500 head of beef, 2,500 lambs, 4,600 hogs and 300 goats for USDA-inspected processing each year. We have historically shipped out of the area, over 50% of the feeder cattle produced for feeding and processing,” said Willard Wolf, LPCA president. “This plant will be a start in re-establishing small to mid-sized meat processing infrastructure across the area. Our plant will process beef, pork, lamb and goat for retail sale and custom processing for individuals.”

Scheduled to open in May 2013, the producer-owned co-op facility is the result of a public/private partnership between the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB), the OPDA and the LPCA. The new facility in full swing will bring 10 to 15 jobs to both Lincoln County and surrounding counties, improve food security for the region and give consumers pasture-to-plate traceability – a service not currently available in the area for most producers or consumers.

Another company that has come into existence as a direct result of the project is Inland Empire Ranches and Farms. It will market to local grocery stores and restaurants, find markets for byproducts and publicize the various ranching operations. Ranchers can use the company if they wish or can do their own marketing if they prefer.

Anyone interested in knowing more about meat processing and co-op membership may contact Willard Wolf, LPCA President at 509-994-8051.

For more information on this project, interested persons can visit: http://www.odessapda.com and http://www.cattleproducersofwa.org/Livestock-Processors-Co-Op.html.