The West River Foundation for Economic & Community Development (WRFECD) has recently finalised a loan agreement with Sturgis Meats LLC, located in Sturgis, SD. This loan, the first under the newly established Meat & Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP) grant, is set to finance significant equipment upgrades at the Sturgis Meats facility.
The planned upgrades at Sturgis Meats are expected to enhance the facility’s operational capacity significantly. One of the key improvements includes expanding the cooling space, which will allow the processor to handle a larger volume of products. This expansion is not only aimed at increasing production efficiency but also at providing cost and time savings for customers.
Cindy Tolle, the owner of Sturgis Meats, expressed optimism about the expansion. She highlighted that the direct-to-consumer product fulfilment capability, a result of the upgrade, will offer a unique advantage to their customers, setting Sturgis Meats apart from other meat processing shops.
The funding for this loan stems from a grant awarded to WRFECD in 2023 by the USDA’s Rural Development. The grant was aimed at creating a new Meat and Poultry Loan Fund to boost processing capacity in South Dakota. The loan to Sturgis Meats marks the first of its kind in western South Dakota.
Sturgis Meats, a longstanding business in the state with nearly 60 years of operation, has a diverse processing portfolio including beef, bison, pork, and recently, yak. The company began its journey with the Sturgis Beef Jerky secret recipe and has since expanded its product range to include various flavours and offerings for local customers.
