Oregon Department of Agriculture awarded six Oregon meat processing businesses with grants to help them expand.

In total, the department invested $2 million allocated by the Oregon Legislature. The funding pool, called the Oregon Meat Processing Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant, is intended to expand meat processing capacity statewide for Oregon-raised livestock.

“The small number of existing meat processors in the state have long waitlists, making it difficult for Oregon’s producers to get their product to market,” Alexis Taylor, ODA’s director,  said in a statement.

Taylor said this grant will build capacity and help processors meet demand.

ODA received 44 grant applications for the Oregon Meat Processing Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant totaling $14 million.

Of these, the department chose six grantees representing federal and state inspection programs and a mix of harvested livestock species from around the state.

The agency estimates that its investment in these six businesses will make 3 million additional pounds of local meat available to Oregonians annually.

The grantees were:

• BillyBob’s Butcher Shop (Elgin), $435,210.93

• Central Oregon Butcher Boys (Prineville), $105,598.19

• Crystal Creek Meats (Roseburg), $382,707.09

• Mobile Ranch Butchering (Bandon), $299,762.84

• Mountain Valley Meat Service (Parkdale), $341,510.02

• The Meating Place (Hillsboro), $435,210.93

“We’re excited,” said Kaleen Oldridge, co-owner of BillyBob’s Butcher Shop and BillyBob’s & Stafford’s Custom Meats USDA-inspected plant in Elgin, northeastern Oregon. “We will definitely put (the grant) to good use.”

Oldridge co-owns the business with her husband, Billy. The couple plan to use the grant to upgrade equipment and facilities.

The business processes 25 to 30 cattle per week and can process 12 pigs per batch, in a day. With the upgrades, Oldridge predicts BillyBob’s & Stafford’s will be able to process 40 to 50 head of cattle weekly and 25 to 30 pigs per batch.

Oldridge said demand for slaughter exceeds supply in her region. Her slaughter schedule is booked for October and November — both for 2022 and 2023. She has only a few slots left for September 2022.

“Right now, our kill schedule is just about completely booked,” she said. “Turning people away makes me feel bad.”

She anticipates that BillyBob’s & Stafford’s will be better equipped to meet demand from local farmers once the plant expands.

Oldridge said she and her husband will buy or upgrade several pieces of equipment.

The couple plan to get a new splitting saw that can split a beef animal in 30 seconds or less, compared to their current saw, which can take two minutes.

They also plan to buy a more efficient grinder system, a rollstock packaging machine with a built-in labeling system, a new stuffer to make products including pepper sticks and links, a compressor and a vacuum tumbler.

The couple also aim to enlarge their smoker, increase cooler capacity, upgrade their water system and have a new shed installed with a bathroom, break room and storage space.

“That will all help immensely,” said Oldridge.