WASHINGTON — Central Lakes College (CLC), Staples, Minn., recently held a grand opening for its state-of-the-art modular meat processing facility.

Through a partnership with Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU), CLC’s Meat Cutting and Butchery Program seeks to meet the need for equipping more trained meat professionals across the country.

The new facility — consisting of two mobile units — was also made possible through two awards from the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development: a $604,000 grant through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program and a $1,500,000 Rural Economic Development Loan.

MFU purchased and installed the meat processing unit to expand CLC’s robust meat-cutting program. CLC markets the program as the only hands-on meat cutting butchery in the state of Minnesota.

“No institution could have achieved this type of comprehensive solution without these tremendous partnerships,” said CLC President Hara Charlier. 

Students interested in meat cutting will join a one-semester program to use the two mobile processing units — one unit for aging meat and the other for fabrication.

Now into its third year, the Meat Cutting and Butchery Program will be enhanced significantly by the new facility. While several students previously had to travel to various training locations, they can now practice the trade at the new centralized location.

CLC also believes the new facility serves as a recruitment tool, bringing more prospective students to the local community.