Garfield Meat Shop receives operations grant

GARFIELD — The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) awarded $6.3 million in Local Food System Infrastructure Grants, with local Garfield Meat Shop receiving a Rapid and Ready grant for approximately $50,000 for new equipment to modernize slaughter operations.

Co-owner Annie Riedinger said that back in November, the meat shop applied and officially received the announcement that WSDA awarded them funding on Friday, Feb. 2.

Riedinger said that the reimbursement-style grant requires them to purchase the equipment and give the receipts to WSDA, who will reimburse them with the funds.

“We are going to upgrade the way that beef comes into the back warehouse area to be slaughtered,” she said, adding that this will allow the butchers to be safer and have a more streamlined process to quickly and humanely move beef through their operations.

Riedinger said that the idea is to make it easier on both the rancher who brought the beef and the butcher.

“We have been given authorization to spend our new pieces of equipment for the back, including a beef splitting saw,” she said, adding that other components include a knock box where the beef is brought and stunned to be made ready to process.

“We’ve also received some funding to have a new cutting saw upfront,” Riedinger said, noting that this will allow them to have a second meat saw while processing up-front and a backup if needed.

“The ongoing level of interest in these grants demonstrates the clear need for investment in local food system infrastructure in Washington,” said the WSDA Regional Markets Program Manager, Laura Raymond, noting that each proposal represented an opportunity to build capacity and resilience into our food system. “We really wish we could fund many more of these worthwhile activities,” Raymond said.

Riedinger said that the key to their improvements is to play a vital role in connecting ranchers and producers and the family or consumer looking for locally raised meat. “These funds are for serving the community, food security and making the connection so that more consumers can access locally grown food,” she said.

“The organizations that received assistance through these programs have demonstrated the important role they play in maintaining a vibrant and robust local food system,” said Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture Derek Sandison, adding that the recovery and support of small businesses engaged in the local food supply system is essential to enhance resiliency and ensure adequate food supplies are available to protect public health.

Riedinger said Garfield Meat Shop was also one of 11 recipients awarded one of the one-time Federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery funds, specifically allocated for meat processing capacity grants.