A new $9 million slaughter plant could be operating in Neepawa, Man., by 2006.
It would be a sister plant to Natural Valley Farms Inc. in Saskatchewan. Natural Valley is retrofitting a former laboratory in Wolseley, Sask., and constructing a plant in Neudorf, Sask. The company will concentrate on marketing natural beef and cull cow meat.
Natural Prairie Beef Inc. in Neepawa would slaughter 50,000 head each year and ship them to Wolseley for processing, said company founder Kelly Penner.
The Manitoba cow-calf producer and business owner said he started pursuing a plant last February. He was thinking of a small-scale facility, killing 5,000-10,000 head each year for a niche market.
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After he met the proponents of Natural Valley he “hasn’t looked back since.
“We formed Natural Prairie Beef Inc. to represent Manitoba producers in the Natural Valley Farms program.”
Penner requested proposals from several communities in western Manitoba that might be interested in the new facility. Neepawa produced the best offer and the business plan, including financing, is now being completed based on that location.
The plant will be built west of Springhill Hogs and employ 40 people.
“We’re currently selling hooks (slaughter space) for Natural Valley Farms (in Manitoba),” Penner said.
He expects producers will participate when they realize they need to control their own destiny.
“Producers are raising animals for this program already,” he said, referring to the fact that more feedlots than individual producers use implants, which are not part of the natural beef cycle. “They know it, and they should get a premium for it.”
Penner said Natural Prairie Beef doesn’t intend to compete with Rancher’s Choice, the facility planned for Dauphin, Man.
He said Manitoba once had a vibrant slaughter and processing industry and some producers are skeptical they can get that back. He hopes to convince them otherwise at public meetings. One is planned for Jan. 12 in Neepawa.
