Puget Sound MeatJune 16, 2011
A Message from Your Cooperative:
To Our Members;
Your Cooperative continues to conduct Operations weekly, with a few exceptions. Since April 1st, PSMPC has operated on Tuesdays between two sites, Tacoma and Port Orchard. Site improvements at the Nelson Farm, south of Olympia, should allow operations by month end.
In early May, PSMPC had the misfortune of having three head of Angus cattle escape the pens at the Tacoma site. Unfortunately the driveway gate was open when a cow broke a manger wall, leaving a clear path the street. Pat Crask and others recovered the cow that day, but the two steers split up, evaded traffic, and found wooded areas to hide out. A week later one of the steers was sited, coaxed for a week, and then recovered, and then returned to the owner’s ranch. The other steer remains at large, and various parties are still in search of him.
While this event continues to have liability, your Board has taken numerous actions.He Tacoma site has been rebuilt and a closed gate policy in being enforced. Your Board, operations people, and members have learned lessons from this and improved the site. Policies will continue to be developed to protect the animals and our members from loss. Your Board has reimbursed the owners for this loss, and the Coop will recover this expense as animals are recovered.
On June 7th, Dr. Atkins from the USDA visited our operations at the Tacoma site. Dr. Atkins monitors all sites in the Western Region for compliance with Humane Handling Standards. At the end of the day, the Doctor gave PSMPC a clean report.
I fully expect our Cooperative will continue to have lessons presented, hopefully easier than this one. Be assured, your Board will continue to look after your Cooperative.
The current schedule is:
June 21, Tacoma
June 28, Port Orchard
July 5, Tacoma
July 12, Port Orchard
July 19, Tacoma
July 26, Port Orchard
Additional days will be added at the Nelson Farm as soon as available.
My request to you is: Share the facts with your fellow members, and Share your needs with your Board.
Sincerely,
PSMPC President
Perry Schermerhorn
253-225-2226
PerryS@centurytel.net