By: Donovan W. Mann – donovanm@977thebolt.com
Rutland, IA – After more than five years a meat locker is returning to Rutland as construction continues to be underway.
In February of 2015 Thul’s West River Meats was brought down by a fire. At the time the decision was against rebuilding. Instead they decided to build a catering business and restaurant. West River Meats will be making a comeback and Don Thul talks with KHBT about the revival of the meat locker.
West River Meats will be returning to Rutland as a 60’ by 40’ extension joins the current 24’ by 40’ building that houses Thul’s West River Catering. Thul says that the extension will consists of the harvest floor, pre-chill cooler and carcass cooler. The part that was West River Catering will be the sausage kitchen and further processing room. There they will make all of their value added products.
Five years ago the decision was to not rebuild but Thul says that present circumstances has led to a change in the thought process of the producers and consumers. He says that when the COVID-19 pandemic causes packing plants to shut down it caused a lot of problems. For the producer they struggled to get their livestock to the market. It caused “adverse situations for the consumer due to supply and demand” results in meat prices to double or triple. Thul predicts there will be a “boom” in small locker plants and people getting their meat directly from producers.
Don Thul has 18 years of experience working for Iowa Beef Processor. He says that while the big packaging plants do everything to assure the product is safe, mistakes can happen when a large number of people are involved in the process. “So now what you’re going to see is you’re going to see the livestock come directly from the farmer to the processer” says Thul. He says West River Meats will have four employees plus himself packaging a product for a specific individual. “So instead of numerous people working on your meat, you’re going to have just us five people in the meat locker.”
Thul says that the plan was to have West River Meat open by Dec. 15 but they were delayed due to weather. Now he plans to open on or around the first of the year.
Producers who are interested in partnering with West River Meat are encouraged to contact Don Thul at 515-368-3022.