Leona Meat Plant, a family-owned slaughterhouse in Troy, Pennsylvania, has successfully transformed animal residuals into profit by composting. Initially, the plant began composting eight years ago to reduce costs after rendering plants started charging fees due to new laws prohibiting animal by-products in animal feed. At first, the composting process involved simply piling bones, heads, guts, and fat together and covering them with layers of wood chips and bark. However, this method proved inefficient, taking two to three years to produce usable compost.
Investing in Efficiency
Recently, the plant upgraded its composting process by purchasing new equipment:
- Sundance KID III: This compact horizontal grinder efficiently grinds bones and wood chips.
- Brown Bear R24C: This aerator turns the compost windrows effectively.
As a result, these investments significantly improved efficiency and reduced composting time from two to three years to just six to eight weeks.
The Composting Process
The new composting process involves several steps:
- Grinding: The team grinds bones and heads with wood chips every three days.
- Separate Composting: In addition, the plant composts stomachs, guts, and fat separately for two weeks.
- Combining Materials: After two weeks, all materials mix with bark and wood chips to form windrows on the composting pad.
- Turning Windrows: The team turns windrows regularly for six weeks.
Moreover, the plant monitors the composting process by measuring the temperature of the windrows. They stop turning during winter due to low temperatures but resume in spring. The finished compost is fine enough that it does not require screening.
Benefits of Composting
Composting has provided multiple benefits for Leona Meat Plant:
- Cost Savings: The plant saves $3,000 per month by composting instead of paying a renderer.
- Odor Reduction: Grinding the residuals has eliminated odor concerns for nearby residents.
- Compost Sales: The plant sells compost to local residents and explores sales to farmers.
- Improved Pasture: The compost fertilizes pastures for the plant’s grass-fed beef business.
Future Plans
Leona Meat Plant plans to market its compost more aggressively and is getting it tested to assure customers of its quality. Currently producing 200 tons of compost annually, the plant focuses on using its own animal residuals rather than bringing in outside materials.Ultimately, the story of Leona Meat Plant exemplifies how a small business can turn waste management challenges into profitable and sustainable practices.
Composting Benefits for Agriculture: Learn more about the advantages of composting in agricultural operations here.
Composting as a Waste Management Solution: Explore how composting can serve as an effective waste management strategy here.
Brown Bear Equipment for Composting: Find out how Brown Bear equipment enhances composting efficiency here.
Leona Meat Plant Official Website: Provides information about their services, including custom meat processing and organic processing options. Leona Meat Plant.
Cobblestone Valley Farm: This site discusses the sourcing of organic beef processed at Leona Meats, highlighting their commitment to quality and humane practices. Cobblestone Valley Farm.
