Regional Approach for Value Added Livestock Opportunities in Virginia and West Virginia

David A. Seymour, Extension Agent, ANR PO Box 96, Franklin WV 26807 Dave.seymour@mail.wvu.edu

Methods

Abstract

Livestock commodity leaders teamed up with business and professional representatives to study, design and build a regional agricultural center in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia and West Virginia. The steering committee, organized and advised by Extension, used USDA grants to determine producer needs and feasibility for an educational, marketing, and livestock harvest/processing facility to provide the needed infrastructure that will enhance the sustainability of a fleeing agriculture community. The results included a private donation for land, many volunteer hours, a $480,000 low interest government loan, and producer and private investment in stock for one million dollars to build the Alleghany Highlands Agricultural Center, LLC. The facility includes scales and pens to accommodate 600 head of cattle or sheep for live sales, a USDA inspected slaughter and meat processing center to handle 20 beef equivalent per week, and a multipurpose room for youth and adult educational activities. Eight years of evaluation, planning, designing and construction have yielded a much anticipated first class facility that will open fully in the first quarter of 2012. This facility was designed so that it can be replicated in other rural communities that have a similar infrastructure need.

Rodney P. Leech, Extension Agent, ANR PO Box 528, Monterey VA 24465

rleech@vt.edu

Needs/Goals

The Alleghany Highlands encompasses Highland County VA, Bath County VA, Pocahontas County WV, and Pendleton County WV. This region is mountainous and somewhat isolated resulting in smaller farms, little grain production, small population centers and largely forage based livestock production (lambs and cattle). According to The Highland Lamb and Wool Products Valued Added Opportunities Feasibility Study (Morse and Morse, 2005) the lack of reliable, nearby USDA inspected slaughtering processing facilities has deemed the development of any large-scale meat marketing very difficult. There is only one USDA facility within 70 miles. It can only handle a very small number of animals and appointments must be made over a month in advance. No other USDA inspected processing plant exists in the immediate area. This study concluded a meat processing plant for the Alleghany Highlands was imperative. A steering committee was formed from the region with key agriculture producers and representatives from the Highland Center and the Virginia and West Virginia Cooperative Extension Services. A grant was received from the Appalachian Regional Commission to solicit help, studying the feasibility of a processing plant in the region. Food and Livestock Planning, Inc. of Kansas City, MO was engaged to conduct the study and assist in the processes necessary to provide greater processing to this region. The proposed processing facility was envisioned to be state of the art, with the latest technology in humane treatment of multiple species of animals, including sheep, beef, hogs, goats, and deer. It will be designed to meet the requirements of sale to ethnic groups to maximize target markets. The facility will be a small operation, with processing goals target at 6-10 animals per day with future expansion.

Impacts

Direct impacts include: • Pens and scales erected in October 2008 has facilitated sales of over 4600

head of livestock to date • Four full-time jobs created • Major infrastructure investment in the local community

Indirect impacts include: • Increase revenue of a large number of farms through value added markets • Increased sales to local businesses that support farm operations • Local food and service for local vendors, businesses, and individuals

Results

• Over 8000 hours of volunteer time by 120 citizens • In-kind donations of equipment, materials, and six acres of land

valued at $150,000 • $445,000 in grant funds for feasibility studies, facility design, legal

costs, and equipment • $480,000 low interest loan from USDA secured by local telephone

cooperative • 94 community members purchasing 200 shares of stock to raise

$1 million in capital needed for the project • Total of $2.3 million project used for the construction and

operation of the Alleghany Highlands Agricultural Center and includes:

• State of the art USDA inspected slaughter and processing facility

• Scales and pens for 600 head for live marketing • Conference room for educational meetings

Major Collaborators

Appalachian Region Commission Highland-Bath Cattle Association

Highland Sheep and Wool Producers Association Highland Telephone Cooperative

Proteus Foundation The Highland Center

U.S. Department of Agriculture Virginia Cooperative Extension

Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Science Virginia Farm Bureau/Virginia Fairs

West Virginia Extension Service

96 Planning committee meetings 32 Public informational meetings 6 Investigational field trips

12 Volunteer workdays 22 Educational programs in preparation for using

the facility 100+ Individual contacts to explain and promote the

agricultural concept