Entrepreneur opens new meat processing facility in St. Ignatius
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ST. IGNATIUS – Nestled beneath the picturesque peaks of the Mission Mountains, just off US Highway 93 in St. Ignatius, Mission Valley entrepreneur Donald Pierce recently launched a full-service meat processing facility.
Since its grand opening back in October, D& J Meats has been inundated with new customers seeking a local meat processing facility to help fill their freezers.
“I am booked all the way into the end of March,” said Donald Pierce, lifelong resident of St. Ignatius.
About two years ago, after observing a growing demand for local meat processing for both hunters and valley meat producers, an idea for a new business venture grew.
“We’ll be providing another option in the marketplace,” Pierce explained. “I think local production is the way it has to be. I hope we get back to the way it used to be when local agriculture producers filled the local needs.”
Sure of his decision, Pierce persevered through cumbersome USDA filing and inspection processes, a failed business partnership and numerous building construction setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pierce and his staff finally heard the whirl of meat saw blades back in October just in time for the hunting season rush.
The state-of-the-art processing facility is designed to handle the slaughtering, processing and packaging of both wild game and domestic animals. It houses multiple large walk-in coolers, a cutting and packaging area and in the spring a corral system is being installed to assist in the transport and processing of livestock.
D&J Meats is located at 34408 Pierce Lane in St. Ignatius. Facility hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the shop at 406-745-0643.
