Board backs slaughterhouse
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The former Coastal Seafood building in Westminster on Friday. Vyto Starinskas / Rutland Herald |
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By Susan Smallheer STAFF WRITER - Published: March 7, 2009
WESTMINSTER — Members of the Westminster Select Board hope the public goes along with their plan to apply for a $600,000 state grant to help establish a much-needed slaughterhouse in the southeastern corner of the state.
A public hearing on the grant application is set for Tuesday evening, according to Paul Harlow, chairman of the Westminster Select Board.
The money would help fund plans by Dan Mandich of Walpole, N.H., to convert the former Coastal Seafoods building on Back Westminster Road into a modern slaughterhouse, one that would serve the growing "Eat Local" movement, and handle animals as diverse as beef cattle, pigs, sheep, veal calves, turkeys and chicken.
Mandich wouldn't say exactly how much his plan would cost, but he said total costs would be "at least double or more" than the grant.
Harlow said that farmers in this corner of the state often have to travel at least 90 minutes to a slaughterhouse, and then have to make an identical trip to pick up their meat when it's ready.
Mandich, who owns the Coastal Seafoods building, said that if he receives the loan, he could open the slaughterhouse in time for the prime slaughtering season of fall and early winter. Mandich used to operate Coastal Seafoods, which closed a few years ago.
Harlow, an organic vegetable farmer, said the building was originally a slaughterhouse called Mountain Meats and he worked there once for a week on the night shift.
Mandich, who now works at Black River Produce in North Springfield, said that the building was in good shape but he would have to upgrade the equipment in the buildings to make everything as safe and sanitary as possible.
The plan has the support of the state Agency of Agriculture, said Roger Allbee, agency secretary. Allbee said that the southeastern corner was "underserved." Allbee said Mandich was still working with agriculture department staff, fine-tuning his business plan.
Key to that plan, Allbee said, is whether there really are enough animals to slaughter in this area, which would draw on farmers from New Hampshire and Massachusetts as well.
Most farmers in this area now have to go to Athol, Mass., or Bennington, he said.
Allbee said that Mandich had lined up investors and banks to work with him on the project.
Mandich said he had added the processing of turkeys and chickens because of strong demand for that service. He said that he also hoped to offer farmers freezer locker space since many small farmers don't have large freezer space.
Mandich said that the new Adams Farm slaughterhouse in Athol cost $3.5 million, and was funded almost entirely by state and federal funds.
The hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Westminster Town Hall.
susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com
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