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chain issue and not having enough meat cutters, the whole eco system, this could be a really good model of how you can get this done and do it smart and get it done in a very short period of time,” she said.
Thom Peterson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, recalled the thoughts he had surrounding the need for meat processing plants in Minnesota when he was appointed commissioner in 2018. In fact, it was his top priority at the end of 2018 and early 2019 after he was appointed.
“ I was coming from 17 years at the Farmers Union and we knew that at that time, you had a lot of our farmers had a six month wait a lot of times to get into a local locker plant,” he said.
Led by the Farmers Union, the organization started bringing back meat cutting classes.
“ You know, we hadn’ t had a meat cutting class at a technical school for almost 30 years, since the Pipestone school had closed and I’ d still know people and run into people who graduated from the last class or things at Pipestone. They’ d always be like,‘ We got to get this back going and everything and we saw the need,” he said.
As hiring and training staff at the
Farmers Union Processing + Meats will take time, the facility will not operate at full capacity immediately upon opening. Services provided at the new plant will include harvest, wholesale and retail cutout, grinding as well as limited seasoned fresh ground products. Future goals also include expanding its operations to encompass cooking, smoking and additional value-added products.
Gary Wertish, Minnesota Farmer Union Foundation president, said the cost of processing has not yet been determined, but will be revealed in the near future. To start, the plant plans to operate on a standard fee-for-service model to provide livestock producers competitively priced slaughter and processing services for those to market directly to consumers or through retail or wholesale markets.
Wertish said the Farmers Union Processing + Meats is also unique in that it includes modular harvest, cold storage and cut and wrap units that are manufactured by Friesla in Everson, Washington. The modular units will also be incorporated into a structure that houses inspection, critical processing support areas, animal holding and handling and protects staff and equipment from harsh Minnesota weather.
Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, September 21, 2025 Page 29
Sheila McCoy / Stories of the Heartland
A multitude of people gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of the future Farmers Union Processing + Meats in Staples, June 6. The 8,000 square-foot facility will process primarily beef and pork and will employ up to 15 people when fully operational. Pictured are( from left): Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Thom Petersen, U. S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar( D), former Minnesota Sen. Carrie Ruud( R), Minnesota Farmers Union Board Member Carol Anderson, Business and Industry Development Director of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Harold Stanislawski, Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish, Staples City Administrator Jerel Nelson, Central Lakes College Director of Agriculture and Energy and Farm Business Management Cory Detloff, farmer and Minnesota Farmers Union member Dustin Wiese and Happy Dancing Turtle Conservation Technician Jim Chamberlin.
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