President Trump’s efforts to import Argentina Beef reminded me that in 1995 the president of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, Dean Meyer, led a massive effort to create a beef producer-owned packing plant.
The feasibility study conducted by the firm Senechal Jorgensen & Hale, of Danvers, Mass. concluded such a venture would need to achieve a commitment of 250,000 head of beef cattle and $25,000,000 of investment from beef producers.
Two years after the start, the cooperative was dissolved having fallen short of both goals. The cooperative had achieved a commitment of 112,000 head of cattle and $11,200,000 dollars. Dean Meyer had led the equity/investment campaign with a stellar supporting cast of staff and board members.
Public relations were handled by a young rancher from Towner, ND, Ryan Taylor. Northern Plains Premium Beef had a reporter from the Wall Street Journal traveling with us, and just before the cooperative dissolved, the cooperative became a front-page story in his paper.
I had agreed to serve as the interim CEO from 1996-1997 and after that story broke I received inquiries from national fast-food companies wanting to buy beef from us. They like the idea that all product from Northern Plains Premium Beef could be traced back to its source, the ranch family that produced it.
As Ryan was fond of saying, “the secret is in the source.” Not only was the source important, the Northern Plains produces a higher percentage of fat cattle that grade choice than other parts of the country. The quality of the hides of Northern Plains cattle was also better.
I retired nine years ago, but I have never quit thinking about what still could be an opportunity for the beef producers of the Northern Plains. I have watched the Industrial Commission spend millions of dollars to entice pipeline companies to carry natural gas to eastern North Dakota as a fuel source to generate electricity for data centers. I have watched the Wonder Fund invest millions in all sorts of supposedly “innovative” ideas.
Gov. George Sinner was fond of saying, “the runway behind you is of no use to you.” A runway ahead of us needs to be built. The lift off provided will answer the question “how can North Dakota State Government lead an effort that results in a state-of-the-art beef packing plant owned in part by beef producers?”
Ranchers tried by themselves, but now need the lift the State can provide. The State of North Dakota can aggregate the finances and the interest groups. Stockman’s Association, Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, North Dakota State University, Farmers Union Industries, Beef Commission, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives and their cooperative development center, Bank of North Dakota, Corn Growers, Soybean Growers, feed lot operators, cow-calf operators, breed associations, grocery chains, labor unions, worker cooperatives, industrial engineering firms, dairy producers, and more, all have something to gain from this effort.
State leadership is needed to pull together all groups who will benefit from the successful implementation of this idea. All those willing to learn the answer to “how can North Dakota State Government lead an effort that results in a state-of-the-art beef packing plant owned in part by beef producers?”
State government belongs to all North Dakotans. As North Dakotans we already own the Mill and Elevator, Workers Compensation and Insurance, the Bank of North Dakota, and the Industrial commission’s commitment to oil, gas, coal and data centers. Now is our chance to use State Government to convert the grass lands of the prairies to a profitable way of life for North Dakotans.
Bill Patrie is a retired planner and economic developer having worked in regional and statewide positions. He is the author of “Creating Co-op Fever” printed by USDA as a service bulletin, and “100 Stories of Hope” a book about his interviews with 100 people in poverty.
