Fabricating plant nears completion at Ranchers' Lamb

摘要

A rancher-owned lamb processing plant near San Angelo, Texas, will soon be selling case-ready cuts to retailers across the country. Opened in 1997 near San Angelo, as the first rancher-owned lamb processing facility of its kind, Ranchers' Lamb of Texas is in the completion stages of a fabricating facility which, according to company management, will give greater flexibility to marketing of Texas-produced lamb products. As the plant opened three years ago, the target was selling lamb carcasses only,explained Wayne Snyder, president and general manager of Ranchers' Lamb. However, market conditions continue to change and it has become necessary to package products for direct sale to consumers. To do that, construction of a new state-of-the-art fabrication facility has been underway for several months with completion expected in late October. "There are only so many companies out there that will take carcass lambs," said Snyder, "and their numbers are getting smaller. There are only have a handful of companies that will buy your product it becomes real difficult. It allows those companies that are large to dictate when they want the product and at what price they want it: So it was in our best interest to take on fabrication. It's taking over wherethe middle man was."