New Meat Processing Plant in East Tennessee

[sstterry]

Can anyone tell me what the deal is about the new Meat Processing plant coming to Washington County? I was in Bristol this past weekend and saw something about it. How big will it be etc.? From what I saw it looked like it was going to be owned by a farmer cooperative and they have already received several grants to build it.

https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/proposed-telford-meat-processing-plant-almost-fully-funded/

 

[ClinchValley86]

I use to live directly across the street where this place will sit.

Supposedly 125 head a week.

Going to be a USDA inspected facility is all I do know. Going to be the largest around. I've been wanting to try one through a USDA place... might have to try them out when they're up and running.

www.wjhl.com/news/local/washington-county-meat-packing-plant-location-set-as-commissioners-vote-on-2-million-in-support/amp/

 

[moses388]

Appalachian Producers Cooperative
Brett Mayes

 

[sstterry]

I use to live directly across the street where this place sits.

Supposedly 125 head a week.

Going to be a USDA inspected facility is all I do know. Going to be the largest around.

www.wjhl.com/news/local/washington-county-meat-packing-plant-location-set-as-commissioners-vote-on-2-million-in-support/amp/

It seems like a large investment for only 125 head/week. They report they are waiting on more money and already have $ 5 million.

 

[ClinchValley86]

It seems like a large investment for only 125 head/week. They report they are waiting on more money and already have $ 5 million.

I agree. Before I found that article I thought it was more like 50 a day. But had been a while since I was reading on it.

 

[Lucky]

From the little involvement I've had with a friend building a small butcher shop and knowing the people that have one in our small town they seem like a really big investment. Equipment and cooler/freezer cost is through the roof not to mention the land and building cost. I always hear about how if people will build butcher shops they'd be super busy and super rich in no time but, I just don't think this is the case. Being in debt a 1,000,000 plus is hard enough, 5,000,000 would be stretch for a local butcher shop. I bet the light bill would be 5-6 thousand a month on a 125 hd facility.

 

[sstterry]

From the little involvement I've had with a friend building a small butcher shop and knowing the people that have one in our small town they seem like a really big investment. Equipment and cooler/freezer cost is through the roof not to mention the land and building cost. I always hear about how if people will build butcher shops they'd be super busy and super rich in no time but, I just don't think this is the case. Being in debt a 1,000,000 plus is hard enough, 5,000,000 would be stretch for a local butcher shop. I bet the light bill would be 5-6 thousand a month on a 125 hd facility.

This one is being built with grant money so little risk except for monthly overhead.

 

[kenny thomas]

I have followed this pretty closely and the issue to begin with is other than a very few finished for personal use there are very very few finished cattle in this area. So where are the 125 head a week coming from? And thats a lot of beef to sell to local restaurants. And getting a calf slaughtered has gotten much easier in the last few months. I really hope it works out for them.

 

[sstterry]

I have followed this pretty closely and the issue to begin with is other than a very few finished for personal use there are very very few finished cattle in this area. So where are the 125 head a week coming from? And thats a lot of beef to sell to local restaurants. And getting a calf slaughtered has gotten much easier in the last few months. I really hope it works out for them.

Maybe you should open a feedlot facility.

 

[kenny thomas]

Maybe you should open a feedlot facility.

Too old to start now. I wish we had another facility for cow slaughter. That's the tough one around here.

 

[sstterry]

I have heard that there may be a new one opening over in Granger County. Not Southeastern, another smaller operation.

 

[Lucky]

I have followed this pretty closely and the issue to begin with is other than a very few finished for personal use there are very very few finished cattle in this area.

I believe this is the main issue with the farm to table stuff. The general public doesn't understand what it takes to finish a yearling out for slaughter. There are 3-4 guys raising 60 hd each or so for slaughter around here. They sell out every year but doing the math I'm not sure it's worth the extra time, risk, and expense. 250-300 hd a year is hardly nothing in the big picture. I'm sure allot more ranchers raise their own but I'm not sure there's enough demand from the general public to buy 1/2 or a whole beef at one time.

 

[kenny thomas]

I have heard that there may be a new one opening over in Granger County. Not Southeastern, another smaller operation.

I cant find the figures right now but 1200 a week comes to mind with Southeastern Provisions. Maybe higher. How often do you hear anyone talking about it having a big impact on the cattle business of the area. Very rarely i bet. I sent 1 prolapse cow there so far this year.

 

[sstterry]

I cant find the figures right now but 1200 a week comes to mind with Southeastern Provisions. Maybe higher. How often do you hear anyone talking about it having a big impact on the cattle business of the area. Very rarely i bet. I sent 1 prolapse cow there so far this year.

The owner at Southeastern poisoned all of the wells of the surrounding homeowners. When they were getting ready to sue, he came in and paid to have "city water" installed in every home to avoid the lawsuit.

 

[kenny thomas]

The owner at Southeastern poisoned all of the wells of the surrounding homeowners. When they were getting ready to sue, he came in and paid to have "city water" installed in every home to avoid the lawsuit.

Remember in 2018 they raided them because of potential illegal workers. It seems we the taxpayers had to pay several workers a few hundred thousand dollars because of how things were handled that day. But that was kept pretty quiet locally. Reported in the Washington post.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I have followed this pretty closely and the issue to begin with is other than a very few finished for personal use there are very very few finished cattle in this area. So where are the 125 head a week coming from? And thats a lot of beef to sell to local restaurants. And getting a calf slaughtered has gotten much easier in the last few months. I really hope it works out for them.

Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, Abingdon, And Asheville are within 1 hour drive.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I cant find the figures right now but 1200 a week comes to mind with Southeastern Provisions. Maybe higher. How often do you hear anyone talking about it having a big impact on the cattle business of the area. Very rarely i bet. I sent 1 prolapse cow there so far this year.

Their product, if I have heard right, goes out of state. I sure hope it does. Thats the roughest place I've been to yet. Took some there twice, and felt very bad for leaving them there. Tails. Ears, and pieces were all over the parking lot. Most of the animals were emaciated and absolutely pitiful looking. I don't want to subject even my culls to that. Made my heart hurt.

That was prior to them getting raided though. Maybe they've cleaned it up a lot.

I am curious how they're paying currently with the cull prices being what they are.

 

[sstterry]

Remember in 2018 they raided them because of potential illegal workers. It seems we the taxpayers had to pay several workers a few hundred thousand dollars because of how things were handled that day. But that was kept pretty quiet locally. Reported in the Washington post.

Yes, they arrested and even held a whole bunch that were not illegal. Some were even US born. They picked up everyone with brown skin.

 

[sstterry]

Their product, if I have heard right, goes out of state. I sure hope it does.

One of my employe's husband is a USDA inspector. He slipped in blood on the floor and herniated a disk about 10 years ago. They used to have a meat counter in the front where they sold to the public. I have no idea if they still do.

 

[50/50Farms]

I've done the math on opening up a small scale feedlot, you'd have to be brave or crazy.