Turkey processor Northern Pride gets $50,000 grant

Minnesota-based turkey cooperative received a $50,000 grant to help the company purchase overwrap tray equipment.

Roy Graber Headshot
(Alexander Kalina, Freeimages.com)
(Alexander Kalina, Freeimages.com)

Grower-owned turkey company Northern Pride Inc. is the recipient of a Meat, Poultry, Egg and Milk Processing grant by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).

The grant, which amounts to $50,000, will enable the company, based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, to buy overwrap tray equipment for use at its plant.

This is the first year for the grant program, which aims to facilitate the start-up, modernization or expansion of meat, poultry, egg, and milk processing businesses. The intent of the program is to increase sales of Minnesota-raised livestock and poultry products by investing in equipment and physical improvements that support processing, capacity, market diversification, and market access.

“The past couple years has clearly shown us the need for Minnesota farmers to have expanded options for processing their livestock and related products,” Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen said. 

Funding for this program is made available through the MDA’s Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout the state of Minnesota. The AGRI Program exists to advance Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

Northern Pride was formed in 1989 by independent turkey growers in Minnesota and North Dakota. The cooperative’s processing plant operates seasonally from April through December each year, according to the WATTPoultry.com Top Companies Database

 Its primary products are whole body turkeys, bone-in-breast, tray-pack parts and bulk commodity parts. Northern Pride specializes in individually gift boxed turkeys, free-range and antibiotic-free turkeys. The company's turkey products are marketed under the Northern Pride, Snowland, Harvest Gold and Farmers Choice brands.

Northern Pride slaughtered 45 million pounds of live turkey during the past year, and it ranks as the 18th largest turkey producer in the United States.

The company earlier stated it purchased and renovated a 19,000 square foot facility for deboning and further processing.

MDA also awarded a $68,700 grant to Long Cheng Inc., South Saint Paul, to acquire chicken processing equipment and coolers; and a $68,947 grant to K&S Poultry, Swift, to purchase cooler condensers and large animal processing equipment.

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