Cherokee Nation Opens Meat Processing Plant On Reservation

The Cherokee Nation opened a meat processing plant Tuesday, as part of an effort to ensure food security for the tribe.

“One way to address that it to make sure you’re raising food locally, and processing food locally. That’s going to help in terms of food security,” Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr said.

Hoskin also called the opening an act of “food sovereignty” – that would keep more tribal dollars within the reservation.

The plant is a USDA inspected processor for beef and pork, and Plant Manager Adrian Sinclair said it will eventually handle deer and bison, to “kind of help that supply chain and help people get the meat that they’re wanting.”

The plant will slaughter and process meat for individuals and offer commercial packaging for ranchers interesting in directly selling to consumers, like Craig Lofton, a cattle rancher who said he’s been hauling cattle 40+ miles to the nearest USDA approved facility.

“Hopefully, the wait time won’t be long. The problem with COVID was, we were two or three years to get a beef in to process or even get an appointment. So this will open a door for us. Cherokee citizens will be able to get their beef in and keep some meat on the table."

Chief Hoskin said the tribe invested about $8 million into the plant. It can handle 10 head of cattle a day to start, with potential to expand on site.