LIBERTY, N.Y. — Seven years ago, local officials began discussing building a red-meat processing facility in Liberty, N.Y., which would allow local producers to have their livestock processed there rather than shipping them hundreds of miles away for processing, according to The River Reporter

The county’s Industrial Development Agency (I.D.A.), working with the county Department of Planning and Environmental Management and lined up funding for approximately $1 million. Congressman Maurice Hinchey recently announced the Economic Development Agency would provide the final piece of funding, an $800,000 grant for the new Southern Catskills Red Meat processing facility.


Groundbreaking on the project should take place next spring and construction should be completed sometime in 2012. Once up and running, the facility is expected employ three to five people, and it is estimated the facility will help create or retain some 50 agriculture-related jobs in the county.