REYNOLDSVILLE — U.S. Department of Agriculture State Director for Rural Development Bob Morgan, on Wednesday, visited the construction site of Jeff Tech’s Farm to Refrigerator program training facility — a project partially being funded by a USDA Rural Development grant of $1,125,000.
“We (USDA) are thrilled to be a part of this,” said Morgan during a tour and discussion with Jeff Tech Administrative Director Barry Fillman and Adult Education Coordinator Megan Bundy. Accompanying Morgan on the tour was USDA Area Director for Rural Development Gary Reed and Pennsylvania Public Affairs Specialist for Rural Development Daniel Blottenberger.
Morgan said the USDA $1.1 million grant was provided through the congressional appropriations process, “so credit to Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson. But luckily enough there was a match on the state side, and this is a skill set that I think has not been addressed enough.”
He was referring to Jeff Tech also being awarded a $1.1 million state grant in November 2022 to construct, equip and furnish the new facility to house the program as part of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).
Fillman and Bundy both discussed how the idea for this training program was propelled forward following the pandemic, which exposed what many thought was a meat shortage. However, it was discovered that there wasn’t a shortage of meat products in this region, but a shortage of skilled meat processing manpower.
Ultimately, the vision is to “close the gap in the local meat supply chain” by implementing a meat-cutter training program at Jeff Tech for adult students, as well as Jeff Tech seniors and culinary arts students, school officials said.
The training program, which will be housed in 3,800 square-foot building, is another key example of Jeff Tech paying attention to the needs of the local workforce, said Fillman. A recent study completed by Penn State University indicates more than $33 million in beef is purchased annually within a 50-mile radius of Jefferson County. This new training building will support the local community, local farmers and local small businesses in Jefferson and surrounding counties.
Although there is currently not a clear time frame for the project’s completion, Fillman said he hopes the program will start by next summer or fall.
Jeff Tech was one stop among several Rural Development projects in the North Central PA region that Morgan was visiting this week to see the progress. On Friday (today), they were to visit El Gordo Burro in downtown DuBois which received a USDA $75,000 loan.
“It is nice to be able to get out. The work that we do is very rewarding to see because it adds to life in the communities that we serve,” said Morgan.
