Oregon’s Department of Agriculture is awarding $2 million in grants to improve meat processing capacity across the state.  ODA’s Theresa Yoshioka said the legislature approved the funding to increase capacity when the pandemic caused food supply-chain issues.

“As people became concerned about availability of meat, they turned to local supplies. And our local producers used these processors to process their meat for the local market. There was so much demand, and our producers, meaning the ranchers and farmers, weren’t able to get their animals processed locally."

She said, in some cases, the backlog at local butchers grew to three years long.  Yoshioka said recipients will use the funds to expand their processing capacity and shorten turnaround.

"Oregon has many small ranchers and farmers that want to produce and supply to the local market, and having more local processors enables them to do that."

The six recipients are:

  • Billy Bob’s Butcher Shop (Elgin) $ 435,210.93
  • Central Oregon Butcher Boys (Prineville) $105,598.19
  • Crystal Creek Meats (Roseburg) $382,707.09
  • Mobile Ranch Butchering (Bandon) $299,762.84
  • Mountain Valley Meat Service (Parkdale) $341,510.02
  • The Meating Place (Hillsboro) $435,210.93

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