AMARILLO, TEXAS — Producer Owned Beef LLC, a US beef processing facility owned by cattle producers and operated by beef processing industry veterans, received $12.232 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund. On Aug. 10, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office presented the award at a launch event in Amarillo.

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

Producer Owned Beef’s new plant project is a $670 million capital investment, with its groundbreaking scheduled for the first quarter of 2023. The company expects to employ up to 1,600 team members and to have a 3,000-plus head per day processing capacity.

In addition to Texas Enterprise Fund’s investment, the Amarillo City Council has approved Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) incentives of up to $11.1 million to build the beef processor’s headquarters in Amarillo.

“The importance of Texas Enterprise Fund along with Amarillo EDC backing for this project cannot be overstated,” said Casey Cameron, chief executive officer of Producer Owned Beef. “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. Our commitment is to build and operate a beef processing facility that stands out from the rest of the industry in animal well-being, environmental protections, team member safety and ergonomics, and the highest quality beef products.”

The Amarillo facility plans to begin operation in the fourth quarter of 2025.