Finally, a USDA-inspected processing plant close to home.

Gering, Nebraska

One of the country's largest cattle production areas sits in the heart of the western plains: The Nebraska Panhandle. It is here that Pumpkin Creek Meat Company will build the only USDA-inspected processing plant of this scale within a 130-mile radius. The city approved the build, engineering documents are being drafted, and the first year's appointments are being booked right now.

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Pumpkin Creek Meat Co.

The lot at 2605 7th St. Gering, NE, was once home to Packerland Packing. After remaining vacant for years, the buildings were finally removed, and the lot was cleared. Pumpkin Creek Meat Company has received a conditional use permit to, once again, build a USDA-inspected facility on the lot and return beef processing and retail back to Gering, Nebraska. The plant will process around 40 head a day once fully staffed (approximately 30 employees). PCMC will offer custom-cut for producers retailing their beef and contract-kill for boxed beef wholesale. While no rendering will be done onsite, organ dehydration is planned for phase 2, opening up retail opportunities for the dog treat and chew market. Tallow and hide production are both on the three-year road map. Phase 1 currently includes a retail area for customers to purchase beef directly from the facility.

Meet the Brothers

Gering USDA-Inspected Packing Plant Owner

Dean Lerwick

Owner, Operations

"All I wanted to do was check my cows." Life-time rancher and serial innovator Dean had no intention of doing anything other than innovating the family ranch to produce more with fewer inputs. After years of no-till farming and spring/summer calving, he challenged the status quo even more. Equipped with a microscope and soil probe, Dean adopted regenerative ag practices to improve the quality of his cows, starting with the soil. That, combined with a longer lifespan, he was able to produce beef with a flavor that was shockingly rich. "The old system is dead. It isn't working for the producers anymore." Dean is not a fan of conventional anything, especially the current economic system ag producers have been forced to accept. So, he has taken himself off the cow-feeding duty and is moving forward to help free other producers and consumers from the bottlenecked, antiquated food chain system.

Scottsbluff USDA-Inspected Packing Plant Owner

Jared Lerwick

Owner, Sales

Marketing, Sales, and Entrepreneurship are all passions of Jared's. "I was my brother's worst nightmare when trying to work cows. That's why I left the ranch as soon as possible for a career in Sales and Marketing." Jared spent the last decade selling and coaching others to sell online marketing tools. After forming Pumpkin Creek Ranch with brother Dean, he and his wife, Kendra, quickly realized the biggest obstacle in selling beef was not the marketing or competition, it was the processing bottleneck that threatened their supply. "Ranches should be marketing and selling their own brand, but having few options for inspected processing, they are left with taking a loss on halves and quarters." As a sales and marketing professional, Jared is passionate about helping ranchers set their price, not take the price that's set for them.

Timeline of Events

7/20/2019
A Crazy Idea Gets Momentum

Dean and Jared begin forming a team to investigate the feasibility of an inspected facility in western NE.

5/27/2022
City Council Approved

The last hurdle was cleared by the Gering City Council, granting PCMC a Conditional Use Permit for the vacant lot.

8/10/2022
Begin Engineering and Design

PRC and IST will begin designing the facility while the town finalizes the release of TIF funds.

Spring of 2023
Start Building

Plan for building to begin Spring of 2023 to be open Winter/Spring of 2024. The GC has been selected along with all subcontractors. Work on the lot will begin as soon as the purchase is finalized.

Shackle Space Jared Lerwick Beef Processing

Processing Services Offered

Custom Cutting

Contract Kill

Cows per Month

800

Once fully staffed, PCMC will process a pot-load of cattle per day with no need for overnight holding.

New Jobs Created

30

Small and Local. No strain on the infrastructure by moving in a large workforce.

Out-of-State Miles

0

Western Nebraska cattle don't have to spend a day in a trailer to be processed. Keep them home.

The Construction Team

For two years IST and Berg Industries, with the help of the City of Gering, have been planning and designing the PCMC facility. In partnership with local contractor Adam Reed, this group will build, maintain, consult, aid in staffing, and write all needed HACCP and operational safety plans.

President and CEO of Berg Industries LLC

Frank Papenberg

Frank Papenberg has been in the processing side of the business for decades. He spent over four years as VPO of Clemens Food Group and over 14 years as COO of Triumph Foods. As the owner of Berg Industries, he will be responsible for the building and maintenance of the plant.

President and CEO of IST

Travis Papenberg

Travis Papenberg is a packing facility expert focused on mechanized systems. He worked over five years as a maintenance superintendent at Triumph Foods and spent time at Smithfield Foods as a plant engineer and maintenance systems manager. After a stint as a TPM Director at The Schwan Food Company, he started IST, where he works with Berg Industries building and servicing packing facilities.

President and CEO of Paul Reed Construction

Adam Reed

Paul Reed Construction & Supply Inc. was founded on May 15th, 1980 and has grown into one of the largest GCs in Western Nebraska. Headquartered in Gering, Nebraska the company provides an array of services ranging from commercial and industrial building construction to heavy highway earthwork and installation of underground utilities.