Proposed bill would bring Iron Range meat to market via local prison

Farmers on the Iron Range must go to a lot of trouble to sell their meat at local retail locations and inmates at the Northeast Regional Corrections Center in Saginaw are uniquely positioned to help. But legislative assistance is needed if they are to do so.

The House Agriculture Policy Committee heard testimony Wednesday on a bill that would establish a pilot program at the 150-bed minimum-security institution to train inmates for careers as butchers upon release. As part of this program, NERCC would also become certified as a U.S. Department of Agriculture processing facility. This would allow area famers to butcher livestock locally and sell it in their communities.

Rep. Jason Metsa

Rep. Jason Metsa (DFL-Virginia), sponsor of HF1905, was looking for creative ways to help agriculture grow on the Iron Range when officials from NERCC told him they were looking to build a new processing facility.

NERCC has a unique history, having operated as a correctional facility/farm since the 1930s, so “they’ve already got all of this stuff in place,” Metsa said. “I figured, wouldn’t it be great if our local farmers could end up going to this facility and have their products get certified and packaged and be able to sell at the local grocery store.”

Rep. Dale Lueck (R-Aitkin) said Iron Range farmers currently have to go through “some real machinations” to sell animals locally, often having to truck them hundreds of miles to and from facilities near the Twin Cities or St. Cloud.   

“This provides a facility that would shortcut all that, so the animal can go right to a completely certified processing plant,” Lueck said. “This particular part of the state can really use something like that.”

New opportunities

Kay Arola, executive director of Arrowhead Regional Corrections, said NERCC operates as a working farm and already processes animals for customers – 4,500 chickens, 350 turkeys, 34 cattle and 18 pigs in 2014. However, that meat is only for private consumption. HF1905 – which was referred to House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee – would set the stage for eventual certification and also set up an official training program for inmates, who are currently taught informally.

“We would really like this to bring to a level that can be called a true vocational track,” Arola said. “We know that if they have a path to a job, they are less likely to continue along that criminal track. We think this is a huge opportunity for the men we serve.”

Keith Nelson is a St. Louis County Commissioner who also serves on the Arrowhead Regional Corrections Board and raises beef cattle. He said with the popularity of grass-fed animals and desire to eat locally, small farmers have new opportunities to sell their products, and this facility would help.

“There’s a lot of us around that could gain a great deal of value from such an operation,” Nelson said.

The companion, SF1764, is sponsored by Sen. David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm) and awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.