Olivia, Minn.— Tony and Heidi Paskewitz, owners of Prairie Meats, Inc., recently opened a new livestock processing plant and meat market in Olivia. The business will now be able to provide a USDA inspected facility for livestock producers to get animals processed, which allows them to sell to the public. This will also provide local markets with their own specialty meat products.
Financing was a regional effort, with Citizen’s Alliance Bank in Sacred Heart as the primary lender and local and regional economic development lenders including Renville County EDA, Southwest Initiative Foundation, Mid-Minnesota RDC and the City of Olivia EDA. In addition, Prairie Meats received an Agri Value-Added Equipment grant from the Minnesota Dept of Agriculture to complete the funding needed.
Tony and Heidi previously worked with the Southwest Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Marshall, receiving business planning assistance for their purchase of the Danube Locker in 2017. With the growing demand for their services, and their own experience raising beef cattle, they recognize the opportunity that a USDA certified plant could offer for local producers.
Prairie Meats specializes in processing cattle, sheep, and hogs for local farmers, as well as making their own ring bologna, wieners, summer sausage, brats, jerky, and snack sticks from special private recipes. They can provide beef, pork and lamb in quarters, halves or whole, to be processed at their locker plant, and offer a full line of fresh or frozen meat cuts and products, including brats, steaks, roasts and ground beef. In addition, Prairie Meats is the place to go for popular Traeger wood pellet grills and supplies. They can be reached at 320-523-7060 to schedule meat processing or inquire about availability of their meat products or Traeger grills.
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