USDA awards Alabama $15 million grant to expand meat processing

BIBB COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) – The USDA awarded Alabama a $15 million grant to increase meat processing in our state. The cash is predicted to assist everybody within the meals provide chain from the farmer, to the processors, to the buyer.

A cattle farmer in Bibb County says he’s having to ebook processing dates for his animals generally earlier than they’re even born. That’s how booked up some processing vegetation are proper now.

Ashton Cottingham is a cattle farmer on the River Metropolis Cattle Firm in Centreville. He says it’s a household farm and so they do all the pieces native aside from processing. He’s pressured to convey them to a different state as a result of the native amenities merely aren’t large enough.

“There are good processing vegetation in Alabama, however to do a big capability like we do, we’re having to journey somewhat farther to deal with our wants,” he stated.

They sometimes take round eight animals to a processor at a time. Final yr, they processed 40 animals.

Dimension isn’t the one downside although. Wait occasions elevated considerably due to demand just a few years in the past.

“What we noticed throughout COVID — a complete motion towards native,” stated Alabama Dept. of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate. “Not simply beef, they began wanting their tomatoes — all the pieces, their squash as native as they might! Course, it made sense as a result of we had been having a lot bother with truckers.”

“The most important situation is making these processing dates a yr to a yr and a half prematurely and you actually don’t know in case your animal goes to be able to slaughter at the moment,” stated Cottingham.

The brand new grant will mortgage out cash to repair a few of these points and assist assemble new amenities or increase current ones.

“There’s actually demand there from the buyer and we actually have loads of cattle on this state so it’s actually assembly a distinct segment,” stated Pate.

“Taking a few of the pressure off of our present processors goes to be good for them and good for us too,” stated Cottingham. “Simply being somewhat extra obtainable and having the ability to course of an animal once you wish to course of it, not after they can course of it.”

Commissioner Rick Pate says his workplace is engaged on the mortgage utility proper now and other people ought to be capable to apply in June. He’s encouraging you to control their web site for when the applying launches.

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