Puget Sound MeatFebruary 2010
South Sound Ranchers, Farmers, Chefs, Butchers & All Supporters of Local Food:
After years of effort and the support of so many people and partners that it would be impossible to list them all, Puget Sound Meat Producers Cooperative is up and running.
We received our USDA Provisional Grant of Inspection on August 17, 2009. From then until December 31st, we harvested nearly 80,000 pounds of meat. Our permanent Grant of Inspection was issued on October 30, 2009.
In the first two months of this year, we've harvested over 16,000 pounds of local meat even though Winter is typically a slow season.
We've faced and overcome numerous challenges on many fronts. The economic downturn has been challenging for many businesses including PSMPC. Numerous bugs that cropped up with the brand new MMPU have been addressed and resolved. We faced intense scrutiny by the USDA and have nevertheless satisfied their every requirement.
Last month, several new Directors were elected by the PSMPC membership, and the new Board of Directors elected an entirely fresh slate of Officers including new President Perry Schermerhorn. My dream has been realized and my mission accomplished. The MMPU is up and running, and PSMPC is ready to stand on its own and fly solo.
With that accomplished, I am ready to embark on a new project to forward the larger mission of preserving small farmers and revitilizing agriculture in Pierce County and across the United States.
I will continue to assist and support PSMPC as needed, and I remain grateful to Pierce Conservation District for leasing PSMPC the MMPU with extremely generous terms. We would not have gotten this far without their support.
Cheryl Ouellette, AKA “Cheryl the Pig Lady”
Past President and Founding Mother
Puget Sound Meat Producers Cooperative