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FYI, John >X-Sender: [log in to unmask] >X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 >Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002 11:02:16 -0500 >X-PH: [log in to unmask] >To: John Winder <[log in to unmask]> >From: "Linda D. Aines, University of Vermont Extension" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Fwd: FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Lopez Community Land Trust's Mobile > Slaughter Unit > >John: don't know if you are on this listserv (below ) or not but the idea >of a mobile Meat Processing Facility is one that bears watching for VT >with has such a shortage of them.....Read on > > >>X-Sender: [log in to unmask] (Unverified) >>X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 >>Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2002 17:06:25 -0500 >>X-PH: [log in to unmask] (Cornell Modified) >>X-PH: [log in to unmask] >>To: [log in to unmask] (FAP-NE-AG-DEVEL-L) >>From: Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman <[log in to unmask]> >>Subject: FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Lopez Community Land Trust's Mobile >> Slaughter Unit >>Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >>Sender: [log in to unmask] >> >>Hi Folks, >> >>Please see the following from a colleague in Washington State. I >>understand that there are units in use in the Northeast Region. We would >>like to feature these in an upcoming issue of the Farming Alternatives >>Program Newsletter. Any information you can provide would be most >>appreciated. >> >>Heidi >> >> >> >>PRESS RELEASE >>February 3, 2002 >> >> THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE! >>Mobile Meat Processing Unit Receives USDA Grant of Inspection >> >> The Island Grown Farmers Cooperative recently received their Grant of >> Inspection to operate a US Department of Agriculture-inspected Mobile >> Meat Processing Facility. The first on-farm USDA inspected processing of >> beef and lamb took place last week on Lopez Island, WA. The first of its >> kind in the U.S., the Mobile Meat Processing Unit is the result of >> several years of patience and hard work on the part of local livestock >> producers, Washington State University Cooperative Extension, Lopez >> Community Land Trust staff and numerous supporters. Funded and developed >> by the LCLT, the Unit will be operated by the Co-op, traveling >> throughout San Juan County to slaughter beef, lamb, pigs and other meat >> right on the farm. The USDA inspection will enable local farmers to >> directly sell their meats by the piece to local residents, stores and >> restaurants. >> >>The Mobile Meat Processing Unit is the first phase of the San Juan County >>Food Processing Center, which will eventually house a meat cut-and-wrap >>and cold-storage facility as well as other food product preparation and >>educational facilities at the site recently secured by the LCLT near >>Lopez School. It is hoped that educational and research opportunities in >>sustainable agriculture will be incorporated into the Center through >>partnership with the school and local 4-H. WSU Cooperative Extension >>Service has been integrally involved in the planning and development of >>the Food Processing Center and Extension Service Director Tom Schultz >>looks forward to the day when the FPC will enable Extension Services to >>be more readily available to farmers and residents throughout the islands. >> >>While rural communities across the nation watched the process, the LCLT >>and the IGFC discovered that creating the mobile unit was no easy feat. >>In fact it required many partners to make it happen. USDA Rural >>Development, and the U. S. Forest Service provided grant funding for the >>project and the LCLT is conducting a major donor campaign throughout the >>islands to match the grant funding with local monies. Bob Dickson of >>Oregon State University and Dr. Richard Dougherty at Washington State >>University have provided immeasurable assistance from the early planning >>stages through the test slaughter last week. Locally, the project has >>benefited from the active support of the WSU Cooperative Extension >>Services, the Islands District Economic Development Council and dozens of >>local residents. Lopez farmer, Bruce Dunlop, has served as a consultant >>to the LCLT providing project management and engineering design work for >>the development of the Mobile Unit. >> >>Now that the USDA Grant of Inspection has been received and a trial >>slaughter held, the unit will undergo several months of testing and >>commissioning, including demonstrations both locally and in nearby >>counties. By June the Co-op and the Mobile Unit will be ready to offer >>full services to local farmers. County farmers who wish to join the >>Island Grown Farmers Cooperative may contact the President, Bruce Gregory >>at 360-378-2309 or [log in to unmask] No farm is too small to benefit >>from the support of local farming provided by the Mobile Meat Processing Unit. >> >>For further information contact the Lopez Community Land Trust at >>360-468-3723 or [log in to unmask]