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Anderson Meat Processing was one of the first meat processing plants to open in the state, using the federal COVID dollars. Two years in and Anderson is thriving and looking to expand.
Thomas Capps
Local meat processing plant looking to expand. Hello and welcome to Tennessee Home and Farm Radio. I’m Thomas Capps.
Steve Anderson
It’s been our goal since we opened to help our local cattlemen and pork and sheep producers take their product to the market.
Thomas Capps
Smith County native Steve Anderson was one of the first in the state to receive money from federal COVID dollars and opened a meat processing plant with it. They’re a little more than two years in and Anderson Meat Processing in Trousdale County is thriving and looking to grow.
Steve Anderson
We’re booked solid through this year and got heavy bookings in the ne xt year and got waiting lists, people call in every day, you know trying to get in and we’re actually looking at adding another 10,000 foot expansion to our lot here and starting more further processing and doing some extra things to bring added value to some of the products we’re already doing.
Thomas Capps
Anderson Meats is one of several processing plants that opened following the pandemic, in large part due to the backlog of larger processing plants during that time not only have these local processors like Anderson’s help reduce the processing backlog, they’ve made local agriculture stronger.
Steve Anderson
This is firsthand what those grants can do for the far m in public. Everything we can do. As you know, Congress, individuals or whatever to help a farmer make a dollar, we’ve got to do it and that’s our goal here.
Thomas Capps
Anderson believes the local meat processors that opened across the state met a need for producers and helped make them more profitable.
Steve Anderson
This is not just me, you know, our whole state is covered a little processors like me that that’s trying to, you know, make a living and not only for their families, but help other producers bring more value to their product. And in the end we’ve got to find ways to bring more value to our product. You know, government subsidies are great, but it’s sad when the government has to subsidize the industry of hard working people. You should be able to make it on your own without government subsidies.
Thomas Capps
For Tennessee Home and Farm Radio I’m Thomas Capps. Thanks for listening and have a great day.
