August 10, 2006

Canada's CPMI builds processing plant to help producers market beef

Construction of a US$7-million custom slaughter and meat processing facility is underway in Canada's province of Alberta in Wolf Creek Industrial Park, local newspapers reported Thursday (Aug 10). 

The facility would enable Alberta producers to market their organic, natural and hormone-free beef, bison, elk and venison.

The facility, owned by Canadian Premium Meats, aims to be the link between producers and processors, helping them market their meats, said Werner Siegrist, a principle investor of the company. CPMI said it would not be involved in the processing and marketing of their own branded meat products so that it does not interfere or compete with their customers.

According to Meat Industry Development Manager Howard Oudman of Edmonton, many livestock producers know opportunities exist in these niche markets and have formed production and marketing coalitions for this purpose.

However, many could not get off the ground due to the lack of a federally inspected custom slaughter and processing facility willing to work together with them, said Oudman.

CPMI would be a federally registered and European Union (EU) approved slaughter meat processing plant with advanced meat tracking capabilities. They would be able to provide yield analysis and custom meat cuts, custom packaging services, grading information back to producers, as well as cooler and freezer storage for customers.