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Clarkson's Shipley Center aims to get struggling mobile slaughterhouse in working order, profitable

Posted 9/9/14

By JIMMY LAWTON POTSDAM -- A failed mobile poultry processor might take flight with help from Clarkson University’s Shipley Center. Clarkson president Tony Collins, who co-chairs the North Country …

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Clarkson's Shipley Center aims to get struggling mobile slaughterhouse in working order, profitable

Posted

By JIMMY LAWTON

POTSDAM -- A failed mobile poultry processor might take flight with help from Clarkson University’s Shipley Center.

Clarkson president Tony Collins, who co-chairs the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, says the Shipley Center will partner with Agbotics to correct problems with North Country Pastured’s mobile slaughterhouse.

The plan includes getting the slaughterhouse operational, profitable and mobile.

Collins the decision to help was made after said he read about the problems North Country Pastured faced, which included a promise of more than $200,000 in public funding from officials in 2012.

The company did receive $50,000 from the St. Lawrence Redevelopment Agency, and a $30,000 loan from the Town of Canton. It has not yet received a promised $130,000 Empire State Development reimbursement grant through the NCREDC because it hasn’t met the requirement of creating four new jobs.

“I hadn’t realized the project was floundering as much as it was,” Collins said. “Frankly, it sounds like it was kind of an engineering disaster.”

Majority owner Renee Smith said North Country Pastured’s shutdown stemmed from problems that began with a roughly $140,000 mobile slaughter unit that did not meet New York State inspection standards.

The custom-built trailer was outfitted to slaughter and process chickens with USDA certification. It was designed and manufactured by Brothers Bonding Equipment, based out of Ohio.

She said the unit she ordered was completed months behind schedule, but larger problems were revealed when she drove down to pick up the unit and found it riddled with what she said were design flaws. They included clearance and weight problems with the rear wheel and axle, she said.

“When we found out they were floundering, I called Renee and said we’d be happy to help out if that would be useful,” he said.

Collins said a lack of business experience may have also played a role in the project’s failure, but added that the idea was “innovative, creative and the right thing for the North Country.”

He said Agbotics plans to work with a Lewis County meat processor to help get the unit working and once it is mobile, return it to St. Lawrence County to serve its intended goal of providing a mobile USDA-certified slaughterhouse to small farmers.

Collins said the state grants are reimbursements and the state plays a limited role in helping the companies that are awarded money succeed.

He said most projects are largely privately funded and the grant funding usually provides a boost to get things started. North Country Pastured was a riskier investment and was heavily reliant on grant funding. He said it was selected because it merged technology, agriculture and accessibility to a market that was previously limited.

He said as one of New York’s Innovation Hot Spots Clarkson is in a position to provide help to start-up businesses.

“This is a big project that is going through a big hiccup, but we need to be able to solve problems like this or we aren’t doing our jobs,” Collins said.

North Country Pastured was owned jointly by Renee Smith, Ellen Rocco, Liam Hunt and Rick Welsh. Welsh said he is no longer affilated with North Country Pastured.

See earlier story on North Country Pastured here.