Meat processing plant open house August 29

“It’s finally a reality! Over five years in the making. Our hard work has paid off!” said Teresa King, secretary of the Cattle Producers of Washington (CPoW) – Livestock Processors Cooperative Association (LPCA).

The LPCA grand opening will be held Thursday, August 29, 2013 from 3 to 6 p.m. at 13644 Stein Lane E., in the Odessa Industrial Park just off State Route 21, approximately two miles south of Odessa.

The date will be a celebration of the completion of the producer-owned processing facility and an opportunity for interested members of the community to tour the facility, meet employees, livestock producers, the LPCA Board, Cattle Producers of WA Board, Odessa PDA Board and others who helped make the dream of a producer-owned processing facility possible.

The LPCA board will be represented by its president Willard Wolf, vice president Fred Brown, treasurer Wade King, secretary Teresa King and directors Ed Gross, Jeff Schmidt, Asa Timm, Cass Gebbers, Gary Galbreath, Randy Emtman. Past president and plant project manager Sue Lani Madsen and past directo Joel Huesby will also be there.

“We want you to see our amazing new facility, participate in discussions regarding scheduling livestock and marketing locally raised meats,” said King.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 4 p.m., with light refreshments available afterward.

Most of the plant’s crew has been hired, but there is still a need for more meat cutters.

Several pictures of the construction phase of the project are posted on the company’s Facebook page (Facebook: http://on.fb.me/17ZQ6S8). More information on the new plant is also available by calling the main office at 509-982-0115 or visiting its website at http://www.livestockprocessors.com.

The plant’s motto is “Local livestock, healthy meat,” and it was envisioned as a small-scale alternative to the huge slaughterhouse operations located almost exclusively today in midwestern states. The “buy local” movement and the idea that people should know where their food comes from were also part of the equation that led CPoW and area livestock producers to band together in the cooperative that operates the new plant.

The public is invited to the open house and tours will be given. It will be an opportunity to see the plant prior to full operation and meet staff members and the board of directors.