An east coast transplant saw an opportunity when deciding to become a cattle rancher in North Dakota. John Roswech, who operates South 40 Beef at Mott, wanted to provide a direct marketing opportunity for himself and local ranchers. That’s when he devised a plan for a beef processing facility.
Roswech admits that obtaining federal approval was difficult, but he was up for the challenge. This new 6,000 square foot facility broke ground in September and has now opened its doors. Roswech says 20-to-25 cattle can be processed per day, which equates to 300-to-400 head per month.
“Not only do I want to provide a place for local ranchers to process their cattle, but I also eventually want to export North Dakota beef to my networks on the east and west coasts.”
On the contrary, It’s no secret conditions are extremely dry in western North Dakota. “It’s scary out there.There’s nothing greening up and it’s really altering our rotation plans. A lot of ranchers are already purchasing hay to supplement cows over the summer.”
Roswech has a different plan than most ranchers, as the beef processing plant is just seven miles from the ranch. Instead of selling cows because of drought, he can send them to the processing plant for butcher. Get the full story in this Red River Farm Network interview.