When you think “ranch” or “livestock” or even “meat,” you
probably don’t think “goat.” But a group of goat ranchers in the
Washington County, Ga., area are hoping to change that.

They’ve taken some big steps toward starting a goat
slaughter-plant cooperative that would provide farmers a stable
market and supply quality meat to a growing market of ethnic
consumers.

The facility, Sunbelt Goat Producers Cooperative, would be run as
a new-generation co-op, said Sidney Law, Washington County
coordinator of the University of Georgia Extension Service. The
goat ranchers themselves would own and control it.

Feasibility Study

An economic study by the UGA Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development determined that the slaughter-plant
co-op is feasible.

The co-op would give growers a stable market, Law said. And goats
delivered to the slaughter plant would draw a premium price.

An organizational meeting has been set for 10 a.m. June 23 at the
Washington County Farm Bureau Agriculture Center in Tennille,
Ga.

Co-op members will adopt bylaws and elect officers and a board of
directors at the meeting. Only members will be able to vote or
become officers or board members.

Interested in Joining?

Anyone interested in joining the co-op can get an application
from the Washington County Extension Service at P.O. Box 310,
Sandersville, GA 31082, or from Washington County Meat Goat
Association President Charles Batten at P.O. Box 934,
Sandersville, GA 31082. The membership fee is $20.

Law and Batten will tell about the slaughter plant co-op June 2
at the annual Dairy Goat Show in Clarksville, Ga., at 9 a.m. at
the Habersham County Fair Grounds.

For more information, call Law at (478) 552-2011 or Batten at
(478) 552-1471. Or e-mail Law at uge3303@uga.edu.