Alaska processor begins importing cattle

Just a few months into new ownership, the Mt. McKinley Meat and Sausage plant in Palmer, Alaska, is looking to keep busy — and profitable — by importing cattle from Canadian ranches direct to slaughter, according to local media reports. Alaskan producers commonly import live animals to be raised or finished on Alaskan ranches, but Alaskan processors have typically focused only on slaughtering those Alaska-sourced animals. According to the most recent state statistics, Alaskans import 80 million pounds of meat annually while only producing about 500,000 pounds, according to a report in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman. But Mt. McKinley Meat and Sausage was losing some $100,000 a year most recently under state ownership; the state had operated its only USDA-inspected slaughter facility from 1986 to May 2017. That’s when the sale to Greg Giannulis, who also operates Mike’s Quality Meats in Eagle River, was finalized. Giannulis brought in 76 animals from Canada to be slaughtered at the 16,000-square-foot facility. Several dozen Alaskan producers also use the plant to process their animals.