Guelph, Ont.– The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) would like to extend sincere congratulations to Parkhill Meats and its owners as they begin to expand their business through the construction of a new processing facility in Middlesex County. The commencement of the construction was marked this week by a groundbreaking ceremony hosted at the site of the new facility, and was attended by Ontario’s Agriculture Minister, Lisa Thompson; Steve Pinsonneault, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex; Liane Rood, MP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex; representatives from BFO; and many partners, stakeholders, and community members.
Parkhill Meats was established in 2016 with just three employees, and has since grown to employ close to 20 employees where they produce local and halal certified beef, veal, lamb and goat products for customers across Ontario. With growing demand for halal certified meats, Parkhill Meats began plans for further expansion of their business.
“The expansion project has been a long time coming, but we are happy to say that the effort and time has paid off. Our growth over the years made it clear that to continue to grow profitably, we needed to implement efficient processes, effective specs and setup, and advanced technology,” says Yaser Al-Qayem of Parkhill Meats. “The planning phase took us more than two years of debating what we should and could do, and what we are starting to build today is the first step towards implementing our strategic vision. We’re grateful to so many stakeholders who supported us and continue to support us along the way.”
“I was pleased to see this expansion project at Parkhill Meats kick off at the ground-breaking ceremony. With $2.4 million in support from the Ontario government through the Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund, Parkhill Meats will have a state-of-the-art facility located close to farmers in southwestern Ontario,” says Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “By expanding processing capacity and focusing on a growing market for halal products, Parkhill Meats’ thoughtful approach will generate sustainable, long-term growth and success.”
“Meat processing is an integral component of the beef supply chain. It’s nice to see investment from the provincial government in the expansion of this facility,” says Craig McLaughlin, BFO President. “Beef farmers experienced first-hand the importance of processing capacity throughout the pandemic. Since then, and with increasing demand for Ontario beef, we continue to advocate for increased investment in the meat processing sector.”
The expansion of Parkhill Meats is slated to be completed in 2025, and it’s forecasted the new facility will require an additional 20 employees including butchers, packagers, logistics handlers and cleaners.
“The establishment of a new processing facility in Ontario is good news for our sector, and signals growth and opportunity for Ontario beef. We look forward to following the construction and opening of the new Parkhill Meats facility next year,” shares John Baker, Director of the Ontario Beef Market Development Program.
As an association, BFO continues to advocate for increased investment in meat processing infrastructure and a more supportive regulatory environment for the red meat sector in Ontario. We also know we need to find better ways to attract, train and retain high-skill meat cutters and industrial butchers who play such an integral role in getting Ontario beef from the farm to the plate.
The Beef Farmers of Ontario represents 19,000 beef farmers in Ontario by advocating in the areas of sustainability, animal health and care, environment, food safety, and domestic and export market development. BFO’s vision is help foster a sustainable and profitable beef industry, and have Ontario beef recognized as an outstanding product by our consumers.
Source : Ontario Beef