More than 3,000 visitors toured the True West beef processing facility on Feb. 25 in Jerome, getting a close-up view of the newest packing plant capacity in the Northwest.

Cooper david
David Cooper
Managing Editor / Progressive Cattle

Announced in July 2020, the project is guided by Agri Beef as managing partner, with 40 additional limited partner investors from cow-calf, seedstock and cattle feeding segments around the Great Basin region. Operations at True West are slated to begin April 17. Hiring for the facility began Feb. 25 and is expected to continue through spring as operations continue to grow.

Local dignitaries joined locals to see the plant up close followed by a hosted lunch in the True West event center with Agri-Beef Double-R Ranch burgers and hot dogs.

Jay Theiler, executive director for marketing at Agri Beef, said Idaho’s inventory of 2 million head of cattle along with the modernized plant providing more packing capacity in the state, will “enhance the reputation for quality that comes out of Idaho.”

“We will be producing differentiated brand products. Separate from the sort of identity of what is produced in the Midwest, we focused on branded products, not commodities. And we have the best cattle producers, and the best beef products are going to be produced right here in Jerome.”

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Plant operating managers said the plan in the first week is to start processing at a slower pace, with 10 head processed per hour, 80 total in a day. Each week after for the ensuing 20 weeks, processing will increase three additional head per hour. Eventually, True West expects to have 2,400 head processed a week. Additional growth will be dependent upon economic conditions, True West said in its grand opening press materials.

57110-cooper-true-west-1.jpgJay Theiler, left, Agri Beef executive director of marketing; and Bob Rebholz Jr., CEO of Agri Beef, welcome the crowd at a public opening held Feb. 25. Photo by David Cooper.

The arrangement of diversified cattle operations buying into the plant’s construct

Marty Gill of Gill Family Ranches, with operations based in Lucile and Parma, said Idaho producers that have established high-premium cattle can get those same payments with True West, while saving on the fuel costs in sending cattle to other states.

“This is an exclusive, you know, restaurant, high-quality market, where you can get paid for your investments and be local in Idaho,” he said. “I'm probably biased because I had the chance to go to work for Bob Rebholz [Sr.], who founded this company, as a ruminant nutritionist. We have grown by leaps and bounds in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. We’re Idaho-based, privately owned and take good care of our people, take care of our producers.”

Chanel Tewalt, director for the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, said the facility’s modern design and home-based ownership make it a unique addition to the state.

“We have needed more beef processing for years. COVID highlighted the pressure points. But they've existed for a long time. And so literally the security of American protein is dependent on better regionalization of the processing. We need it, not just because it's important [to] Idaho but because it's important to the entire nation.

 “You have these really innovative things happening. You have the producer model and regionalization. They're doing exactly what the beef industry has needed for a long time. We are so lucky that they have made a home in Idaho.”

Hiring still ongoing

True West is still seeking workers to train for the April 17 opening. Available positions can be applied for at the True West Beef website. The company is hosting a career fair at True West Beef on March 11 from noon to 3 p.m. Interviews will take place at the fair with no appointments necessary.