Livingston Enterprise- small idea goes big

The Producer Partnership is looking to expand its effort to provide beef for those in need across the state of Montana. 

Matt Pierson, of Livingston, owner of Highland Livestock Co., started the effort near the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when he realized more families were in need than usual, and one of his ranch hands said, “Look at all this hamburger walking around.”

The comment “hit a nerve,” Pierson said, and led him to start the partnership. Pierson reached out to other producers and together they managed to donate six cows the first week. Pierson got in contact with local butcher shop owners to help process the animals. 

“Pierson then phoned Brian Engle at Pioneer Meats in Big Timber for help and to share the idea,” a news release from the Producer Partnership said. “All Engle said was, ‘I have you set on the schedule for three cows on Thursday.’ The next call was to Matt Feldtman of Matt’s (Old Fashioned Butcher Shop and Deli) in Livingston and the response was the same.”

Pierson has teamed with the Park County Community Foundation to help apply for a COVID-19 Resilience Fund Grant to help pay for the processing. 

In two months, the Producer Partnership helped donate more than 12,000 pounds of ground beef to various organizations, according to a news release from the partnership. Now, that number is up over 14,000 pounds. 

Pierson said the idea started “small and simple,” but now has expanded to other regions outside of Park County.

Due to its success, the Producer Partnership has set a new goal to help attack the hunger problem statewide. 

“Our goal is to provide 140,000 pounds of meat to local food centers/banks by the end of 2020,” the news release said. 

Pierson said the goal of 140,000 pounds was set because it amounts to about 400 cows. Pierson understands the process will be long, but he is prepared to take things one step at a time.  

“While looking to the future is tempting, we need to go day-by-day and focus our efforts locally to be sure we meet the needs of Montanans with food insecurity,” Pierson said in the release. 

The meat will be processed at licensed federal, state and custom meat processors like Matt’s and Pioneer Meats.

Pierson admitted the goal of 140,000 pounds is lofty but believes it’s attainable, and he doesn’t mind aiming high. 

“The worst thing that happens when you shoot for the stars is, if you miss, you land on the moon,” he said. 

Pierson mentioned Michael McCormick, the executive director of the Livingston Food Resource Center, as someone who has “embraced” the partnership and helped expand the partnership to other areas in need outside of Livingston and Park County. 

McCormick on Thursday outlined the pandemic’s impact on local families. Before COVID-19, the Livingston Food Resource Center served around 350 households per month. Now, the Center sees around 1,200 visits a month. 

McCormick said the Partnership has “not only helped Livingston, but other communities as well.”

“Matt showed up here wanting to know how he and other ranchers could help,” McCormick said. 

McCormick said they “certainly needed beef” and Pierson’s help was exactly what they needed. 

When the Livingston Food Resource Center had extra beef, McCormick helped by getting the meat to other communities that needed it. He said they provided 400 to 500 pounds of beef to Red Lodge, in addition to assisting other communities. 

As the Partnership expands statewide, Pierson said they are working to develop their own branded packaging that will direct people to the Partnership’s website, www.producerpartnership.com. There, they plan to add a blog with testimonies from people who have benefitted from the effort to help tell their story from start to finish.

The Partnership still needs help in addition to finding the 400 animals to provide the 140,000 pounds of beef for the state. 

The release said the Partnership still needs volunteers to coordinate the pickup and delivery of cull animals to processors as well as charitable donations to help cover processing costs. The Partnership is also looking for more licensed meat processors around the state to help process and distribute the beef.

More information about the Producer Partnership can be found online at its website.