June 29, 2004

Meat Plant To Process Organic Beef In US State

A meat plant planned in US State South Dakota to process organic beef is expected to start limited production this summer, and then build to full production within the next four months, a company official said.

"We're hoping by August to have phase one done, and we'll be taking quarters in, breaking quarters, packing and selling them out," said Scott Lively, president and CEO of Dakota Beef Company LLC.

At full capacity, Dakota Beef expects to employ at least 40 workers and process more than 80 head of cattle a day or 70,000 pounds of organic beef product. Organic beef is raised without the use of hormones and antibiotics and also has been fed organic feed.

One of the features of the plant will be a system that can tell a customer where the beef was raised, the animal's breed history, what it was fed and when it was processed.

"Through this system, we'll know where every piece of meat is at any time," said Tony Brady, a consultant for the project. "It's not part of the organic concept, but it's keeping the plant ahead of the industry for food safety and food quality."

In the United Kingdom, farmers already are required to track animals, Brady said.

The company started three years ago, and has 18 months of proven revenue, Lively said.

The Howard location is close to where the company's beef is raised.

The company has one feed yard in Yankton and has been working with a Madison farmer to develop another, said Lively.