Meat processing facility project advances

ODESSA - The Odessa Public Development Authority (OPDA) has signed a design-build contract for a new 7,000-square foot USDA meat processing facility conceptualized by the Cattle Producers of Washington.

The USDA-approved facility will be built in the Odessa Industrial Park by Spokane-based Garco Construction. It will be leased to the Livestock Processors Cooperative Association (LPCA), which was organized under the leadership of the Cattle Producers of Washington in 2010.

The new multi-species facility will serve producers throughout eastern Washington, 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," said Sue Lani Madsen, OPDA project manager and LPCA co-op member.

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," LCPA President Willard Wolf said. "Our plant will process beef, pork, lamb and goat for retail sale and custom processing for individuals."

Scheduled to open in May, the producer-owned co-op facility is the result of a public private partnership between the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB), the Odessa Public Development Authority (OPDA) and the Livestock Processors Cooperative Association (LPCA).

Once in full swing, the plant will bring 10-15 jobs to Lincoln County and surrounding counties.

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