MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont farm has bought the state's mobile poultry processing unit for $61,000.
The owners of Tangletown Farm in Middlesex say the unit will allow them to expand their business and play a larger role in Vermont agriculture. Lila Bennett and David Robb say they're working on a plan that will allow other small farms to use the unit.
The mobile unit was built in 2008 with a $93,000 investment from the Vermont Legislature and the Castanea Foundation. It was the first of its kind for farmers to process poultry under state inspection right on the farm. It has a daily processing capacity of 250 chickens or 100 turkeys, with two operators. It was offered for auction online after the original operator, Spring Hill Poultry, chose not to renew his lease.
Proceeds of the sale will be reinvested in infrastructure development for Vermont meat processing.