How Many Meat Processing Plants Are In South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa?

This region of the country thrives on ag production, both from the field and the feedlot. Farmers' and ranchers' livelihoods are motivated by their price per bushel and price per head. Nationwide there are 5,559 Meat, Beef & Poultry Processing businesses in the US as of 2022.

For the livestock producer, South Dakota has fewer options than surrounding states in where to take their animals for slaughter.

The world’s largest beef packing facility was to be located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. A group led by Kingsbury and Associates and Sirius Realty of Rapid, City, announced plans in May to build a $1.1 billion state-of-the-art beef and bison processing plant that would harvest 8,000 head per day. The proposed Western Legacy Development Corporation would have covered 1 million square feet and employed 2,500 workers.

Get our free mobile app

According to a September report, the plans have been rejected by Rapid City officials.

Currently, the biggest beef plant in the US is located in South Dakota, belongs to Tyson Foods in Dakota City, and has a daily processing capacity of 7000 head of cattle.

Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargil, and National Beef are responsible for 85% of US cattle slaughter and packing.

The USDA lists 32 licensed processing plants for red meat and poultry in South Dakota. Iowa has148 and Minnesota has 168.

If you took part in voting in South Dakota's mid-term elections, you already know that another slaughterhouse is on the horizon here in Sioux Falls.