Slaughter plant plans progress

From Staff Reports

August 15, 2002 -- The site selection committee for a proposed state-of-the-art beef slaughter and processing plant has narrowed their search to three possible locations in Oklahoma.

American Native Beef (ANB) is expected to employ more than 200 workers and cost about $20 million to build. The facility would have a maximum capacity of 405 head per day, but could be expanded.

The ANB site selection committee did not name the three locations, but they are from the eight cities that responded to ANB's requests. The eight were from Idabel, Broken Bow, Porum, Poteau, Hugo, Tishomingo, Muskogee, and Moscogee Creek National Indian Tribe.

The slaughter/processing facility would benefit cattle producers in North Texas, Oklahoma, Western Arkansas, and North Louisiana, according to several sources.

After recognizing a need for such a facility, a group of cattlemen began discussing plans for such a facility in late 2000. Plans have steadily developed.

"The need for a processing plant in this general area arose because there is not a substantial-sized processing plant for cows and bulls in a 300-mile area," noted Don Covington, a ANB group member, in an interview earlier this year.

"Cattle producers will benefit from higher prices with a processing plant nearby," he added. "Also, if one wants to invest in American Native Beef, Inc., they will share in the profits of the plant."

ANB hopes to begin making stock offers to cattle producers within a few months.