Producer Owned Beef Packing Plant Coming To Amarillo

Executives for Producer Owned Beef, LLC, said Wednesday, Aug. 10, they expect to break ground next year on a 3,000 head beef packing facility in Amarillo.

During a ceremony in downtown Amarillo, the group announced it has been awarded $12.2 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund for the project. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appeared at the event through a live telecast confirming the state economic incentives for the $670 million facility. Those incentives are in addition to up to $11.1 million from the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (ARDC) and the city of Amarillo approved earlier.

During his video, Gov. Abbott emphasized the need to support these types of projects which benefit the expansive cattle industry that Texas leads the nation in, according to a report in the Amarillo Globe News.

“Made in Texas is a powerful global brand and continues to attract investment from companies serving crucial industries,” Abbott said. “Producer Owned Beef's selection of Amarillo for its new beef processing plant further reinforces the Panhandle as a leader in U.S. beef and beef production.”

CEO of Producer Owned Beef, Casey Cameron, said, “The importance of the Texas Enterprise Fund along with AEDC backing for this project cannot be overstated. Public Private Partnerships are proven to attract additional investors and create a virtuous cycle of commerce, employment and tax revenue for our communities and state."

Cameron said the groups commitment is to build a facility that stands out in the industry in metrics, such as animal well-being, environmental protections, employee safety and high-quality beef products.

Producer Owned Beef is expected to employ 1,600 workers once operational by late 2025 with a payroll of about $120 million annually. The company is owned by cattle ranchers and feeders.

“Many of our ranchers and feeders are third, fourth or even fifth generation producers who have invested their lives in feeding Americans,” Monte Cluck, a board member of Producer Owned Beef, said, according to the Globe News. “With this model, we are creating economic sustainability for small- and medium-sized producers by ensuring they receive a greater share of the financial upside for the hard work that they do.”

Producer Owned Beef, LLC Executive team:

• Casey Cameron, CEO –– is a lifelong cattle producer, active in multiple ranching states and communities.
• Monte Cluck is a lifelong feeder, cow-calf and stocker producer and along with numerous other business interests, is CEO of Dean Cluck Feedyard and general partner of Dean Cluck Cattle Company and lives in Boerne, Texas. Monte has been recognized for his leadership and service for several organizations including the 2020 National Golden Spur Award.
• Cassie Fish, Executive Vice President –– has been a consultant in the cattle feeding and meat packing industry since 2006. She was Senior Director of Risk Management at Tyson responsible for corporate cattle feeding and is a leading expert on packing plant capacity and utilization.
• Dean Hanish, CFO –– has invested his career in accounting, finance, and investor relations for the meat packing industry at IBP, Tyson Fresh Meats and as a consultant.