Taking the time to do it well…
Last year we laid out the challenge and our plan; here’s an update on our work so far. Our work moves at the speed of trust. Getting here has taken more than four years of work with Bureau of Prisons (BoP) representatives, local producers, and community partners. It has also taken trips to Washington, DC, multiple inspections, and rounds of approval and permitting. Here’s how it has unfolded.
2021-2022: Doing our homework
- Aug 2021: Convened a 9-member Meat Processing Working Group.
- Researched a mobile harvesting unit and underused processing infrastructure already in the county.
- Asked the County to include on-farm livestock processing in the Ag Enterprise Ordinance. The proposal was not adopted.
- Partnered with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) on a survey that showed year-round regional demand and capacity for USDA-certified processing.
- Explored FCC Lompoc as a site. To our surprise, we learned about its vocational training meats program and UNICOR’s agricultural enterprises.
- UNICOR asked us to partner, a nonprofit-government partnership to launch a USDA-certified facility.
2023-2024: Making it real
- Phase 1 (2023): Completed an initial facility assessment, drafted a business plan, and secured endorsements from county, state, and federal representatives. We also advocated to DC staffers for a national vocational training credential in meat processing, and worked with the prison’s vocational training department on an initial training timeline.
- Phase 2 (2024): Secured a larger adjacent building to construct a state-of-the-art facility for processing and hands-on learning, completed a second site visit, and identified an off-site drop-off and pick-up location.
Where we are now
Historically, prisons have operated apart from the communities around them. That’s changing here. BoP staff and the broader community are becoming true partners, and we’re building trust and collaboration at the local level.
- Completed revised feasibility study and business plan.
- Designed value chain coordination scope and outcomes.
- Designed the program “spokes” and coordination “wheel” of the Hub, including workforce development, food security, local procurement, and merchandising/market access.
- Launched the workforce development task force. To date, the group has identified partners and roles, agreed on shared outcomes, and named initial employers. It also produced a certification plan for incarcerated workers.
- Presented Meat Processing Hub to multiple stakeholders across government, business, and philanthropy.
- Joined the FCC Lompoc Community Relations Board.