Packing plant sees new business model

SAME FACILITY. NEW NAME. BIG PLANS.

Nexus Beef Packing Plant at the center of it all

by CCA Associate Director of Communications Maureen LaGrande

Earlier this year the Nexus Beef Packing Plant officially opened its doors for business. Located in Yreka, Calif., the reopening of the former Belcampo Beef Packing Plant has brought excitement to producers within the northern part of the state. Keith Nantz, the managing partner of the plant has been working day and night to get all operations running in tip top shape. In September, Nantz sat down with CCA staff who visited the processing plant to share all this feature covers about Nexus Beef Packing Plant and Nantz’s vision for it.

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Before becoming part of the processing sector of the industry, Keith Nantz, owner of Nexus Beef Packing Plant, ran a small cow calf operation in Oregon. Today, in addition to running the Nexus Beef Processing Plant, Nantz runs cattle under a separate entity called Nexus Beef.

Running his own livestock is what led Nantz to pursue the processing side of the beef business a few years ago. During the onset of the COVID pandemic, Nantz found it challenging as a producer to access an open facility to process and pack his livestock. The struggle at this time led him and his business partner, Miles Curtis to find a small USDA plant that had closed in Odessa, Wash. He and Curtis purchased it in May 2020.

From running cattle, to running a plant

After purchasing the plant in Odessa, “I let go of everything I had in Oregon,” shared Nantz. He sold his livestock, dropped everything he was doing and moved to Washington. “The morning I was moving, I was taking my final test for HACCP training, finished, hopped in my truck and away I went.” The plant had no employees or equipment. Here he was able to learn about starting a plant from the ground up. Meeting standards, building additions and searching for equipment for the facility all helped to prepare him for this next step up the ladder in the realm of processing.

In addition to building the plant with the right equipment, Nantz worked diligently to build a working team to properly run the facility. “Something I am very passionate about is people,” shared Nantz. His mindset and drive helped to form a strong, group dynamic. Open communication, work ethic and company incentives at the plant in Washington allowed Nantz to have full trust in the team running the day-to-day operations without him always being present.

The plant in Odessa is called Limitbid Packing in reference to the commodity trading term limitbid. Choosing the name Nexus was also done with intention, as the word nexus is the connection or linking of two or more objects.

Assembling the Yreka Plant

With the operations at the Washington facility under Nantz’s belt, the purchase of the plant in Yreka came about in the phrase of, “right time and right place.” The sale of the plant became final in May of this year.

Once the plant was purchased, Nantz made the decision to move from Washington to one of the recently purchased Nexus properties in Weed to be closer to the operation and build the Nexus Beef Packing Plant team. Nantz who is strongly passionate about leadership, shared how important it is to him to create a good culture within Nexus as well

as a good relationship with the community of Siskiyou County.

To continue on with unified efforts of community, all of the original Belcampo staff members were kept on the team. During his first few weeks at Nexus, Nantz sat back and observed how the facility was run. By doing this Nantz says he was able to see the process in which the plant ran and how he could incorporate what they were currently doing with new ideas.

While the plant currently processes about 30 head a week, Nantz is adjusting the facility for expansion. To accommodate larger numbers, holding pens with troughs are being built back behind the plant to accommodate cattle to be dropped off before the scheduled processing day. The addition of the pens also allows for an easier drop off location for any sized truck and trailer. When asked about the plant’s future goals, Nantz hopes to eventually be able to process 300 to 350 head a week.

Even with goals of expansion, Nantz makes it clear that Nexus is not trying to compete with the bigger packing facilities. “People come at it as we are going to stick it to the big boys. I don’t care they’re not on my radar at all,” Nantz said. “My competition is me yesterday, I’ve got to be better today than I was yesterday.”

The goal of Nexus is to support the local area and be a part of the niche markets such as direct to consumer. With supporting those around them, Nantz also took the time to learn more about regenerative agriculture. By doing this there is more opportunity for conversations with producers on how to ensure continued success.

“Running a processing plant is not for the faint of heart,” Nantz said. There are a lot of rules, regulations and USDA standards a plant must follow to ensure that everything being processed is safe for consumption. The considerations of obstacles, how to adapt to them and find success is always running through Nantz’s mind. With lots of changes and upgrades occurring in the plant, Nantz is not afraid to try something new adding, “If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough.”

Community Connections

Not only is the Nexus Plant an exciting venture for the owners and staff, but also for producers in the area who are looking to process their livestock. When Belcampo closed its doors, those who previously utilized the facilities were nervous about the plants future and where they would now take their livestock, shared Grace Woodmansee, University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resource Advisor for Siskiyou County. Before the Yreka plant reopened, the closest processing facility to Siskiyou County was in Oregon.

Kristina Walker of StarWalker Organic Farm in Fort Jones. offering beef and pork direct to consumers, shared what a huge deal it is for Nexus to open and be a USDA certified organic processing facility. Previously, StarWalker had been shipping their animals all the way to a certified organic facility in Fresno to be processed. The county itself is home to a handful of direct-toconsumer producers who ship their meats all over the state and across the nation. Being that they sell direct, these producers have an amplified interest in the plant remaining open. To learn more about a few of the Siskiyou County ranchers with direct-to-consumer businesses, read part two of this series in next month’s issue of California Cattleman.

In addition to processing Nexus’ beef cattle herd and cattle from across the northwest, a priority for Nantz and Nexus Beef Packing is to continue ensuring there is time and the option for local producers’ cattle to be processed at the plant. Being a livestock producer himself, Nantz wants the Nexus facility to be accessible to the community, livestock from fairs and surrounding producers. He understands the dire need for these facilities and what a huge impact they have on the livelihoods of those that use it. Nexus has also been looking into export certification and verification so that meats processed in the facility can be shipped internationally.

It appears the opening of Nexus has brought a new light to town and all those who will utilize the plant. Nantz has enthusiasm for the employees, community, producers and the plant. It could be a vital addition to the industry for Northern California and surrounding beef producers.