SEMO STUDYING BEEF PROCESSING PLANT FEASIBILITY

Two faculty members at Southeast Missouri State University have been asked to lead a study to determine the feasibility of a livestock slaughter and processing plant in Stoddard County for beef produced in Southeast Missouri.

Dr. Cheryl Brown, Southeast assistant professor of agriculture, and Dr. Jack Sterrett, chairman of the department of marketing, will conduct the study.

The Southeast Missouri Niche Market Beef Committee recently asked the two to conduct the study after the committee was awarded a $25,000 grant for the project from the Missouri Agriculture and Small Business Development Authority.

The Niche Market Beef Committee is composed primarily of beef cattle owners from Stoddard County who are concerned about the lack of markets for beef and reduced farm profitability, both of which have increased the need for alternative agricultural systems.

Brown said the study will determine the market feasibility for Southeast Missouri locally produced, locally owned niche market beef and for a small-scale livestock slaughter and processing facility to address these potential markets. She said she and Sterrett will survey consumers, meat distributors, restaurants, schools, hospitals and grocery stores that buy beef to determine the demand for locally produced beef.

She said they also will investigate whether area consumers might be interested in special types of beef products that could be locally produced such as lean beef, prime choice cuts, hormone-free beef and organically-produced beef."Is the market there? What would people be willing to pay? What would it cost to build a meat processing facility?" Brown said, adding these are questions for which they hope to find answers.

Brown said they hope to learn what area consumers are looking for in purchasing beef. She said questions about freshness, frequency of delivery and the importance of a locally produced product will be asked. The two faculty members also plan to survey local livestock producers to determine the potential supply for specific niche markets and the ability of these producers to transition their production to address the markets. Brown and Sterrett also plan to gather information on small-scale beef processing facilities to establish the economic feasibility of such operations.

They said they hope to involve students in the study, giving them an experiential learning opportunity. The study, which is under way, is expected to be completed next summer.

Jerry Elder, presiding commissioner of Stoddard County and project contact with the Southeast Missouri Niche Market Beef Committee, said if results of the study show that the venture would be profitable, the committee will form a locally owned new generation farmer cooperative livestock processing facility. Committee members then will become owners of the venture, and a beef packing plant will be built."We want to do a good objective feasibility study to make sure it's going to be successful," said Elder.