Grant Program Improves Ohio Meat Processing
In partnership with: Ohio Department of Agriculture
Some doctors find relief from the stress of their jobs on the golf course or fishing pier. David Montgomery’s happy place is the cooler of Lazy Acres Meats, the processing facility in Junction City that he co-owns with his wife, Tami.
“I’m married to my phone. It’s ringing, ringing, ringing all the time,” says Montgomery of his day job as a nursing home physician. However, when he comes to help out at Lazy Acres, the phone stays in his pocket for hours, his hands get busy butchering beef, and he emerges with top-quality steaks.
Lazy Acres isn’t just Montgomery’s hobby – it’s a growing business working to fill a significant need for Ohio’s agricultural economy. Valerie Graham, executive secretary for the Ohio Association of Meat Processors, says interest in Ohio-raised meat has soared in recent years.
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“Since the pandemic, more people want to know where their product is coming from,” Graham says. That demand often exceeds the state’s ability to supply. Ohio farmers looking to get their animals ready for market can face monthslong wait times due to the limited capacity of local processing facilities.
Ohio Meat Processing in Progress
To help bulk out Ohio’s meat supply chain, the DeWine-Husted Administration prioritized the creation of the Ohio Meat Processing Grant Program in the state’s 2022-2023 operating budget, which was passed by the Ohio General Assembly. Nearly $28 million was awarded to 128 individual processors across 59 counties. Lazy Acres, located in Perry County, received $198,000.
Montgomery says meat processing requires substantial investment, especially in the case of Lazy Acres, a nearly 40-year-old business when the Montgomerys bought it in 2021. New sliding doors for the facility cost about $5,000 each and a modern refrigeration system was approximately $100,000. The grant funds, combined with the couple’s own investment,have more than doubled the plant’s capacity and made it much more efficient.
Get the recipe: Rib-Eye Steak with Grilled Corn Salsa
According to Montgomery, Lazy Acres can now store over 50 animals in its cooler at any given time, and his staff of five can
process 20 beef per week.
“Without the grant money, we wouldn’t have been able to do what we do,” he says. “In my opinion, the grant money saved the business for this county.”
Improve and Expand
The Ohio Department of Agriculture operates the nation’s third-largest state meat and poultry inspection program.
“The inspection program provides personalized guidance to local processors, like Lazy Acres, ensuring their practices are humane, sanitary, and properly documented,” says Robert Householder, a state meat and poultry inspector.
His department’s workload has increased because of the grants, and he’s glad that small businesses are getting the support they need.
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“The primary challenge in the industry is a decrease in experienced ‘career’ butchers and employee retention in general,” Householder says. “It can be a tough job, but it’s rewarding to stick around, learn the craft, and be successful in an essential role.”
According to Graham, the Ohio Association of Meat Processors organization has secured another $14 million for the grant program in this cycle’s state budget. She says that money will help even more Ohioans enjoy local meat in the future.
Montgomery has some insider advice for cooking a mouthwatering steak. Season an Ohio-raised rib-eye with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill. Cook for four minutes on one side, three minutes on the other. “For me, it’s perfect. Medium-rare and just amazing.”