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Donate to the MPPU project - Help Build Capacity for Small-Scale Poultry Producers in Massachusetts

Background and Need for the MPPU

Rapidly increasing demand for locally produced, humanely-raised, free-range, and organic poultry is creating opportunity for profitable poultry production in Massachusetts. However, small-scale producers - fewer than 2,000 birds/year - lack access to affordable and legally-sanctioned slaughter facilities. There are no state-licensed or USDA-inspected poultry slaughter facilities in the Northeast open to small producers. Due to heightened biosecurity concerns, larger commercial poultry farms with on-farm licensed processing facilities often refuse to process birds from outside their closed flocks. The ease with which new producers can begin small-scale poultry production makes it a viable "gateway livestock enterprise" that can introduce beginning farmers to animal husbandry practices and encourage additional local meat production. Access to appropriate infrastructure to facilitate these emerging enterprises is critical as the cost of traditional "bricks and mortar" processing facilities is prohibitively high for new producers. The Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU) enables many small-scale producers within a reasonable geographic radius to share processing equipment and use the facility on their farm. It provides an affordable processing option and the design of the unit has met stringent public health and environmental inspection to enable producers to comply with all necessary state and federal regulations.

Goals of the Project

To support the growth of small-scale poultry operations by providing access to cost-effective, shared processing infrastructure. Specifically, we aim to educate at least 15-20 new producers about the regulatory process to become licensed to use an on-farm Mobile Poultry Processing Unit and to provide the necessary food safety and practical skills training to successfully produce and process high-quality poultry for direct markets. Additional educational resources will be developed and we will facilitate a producer steering committee that manages and maintains the MPPU to foster maximum cooperation and accountability among users.

How will my donation be used?

Our goal is to raise at least $35,000 to construct a second MPPU to serve Eastern Massachusetts farmers in Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, and parts of Worcester county. Your contribution will help purchase a trailer and food grade flooring material, poultry processing equipment (cones, scalder, plucker, eviscerating tables, chill tanks, etc.), hoses and hand wash sinks, electrical and plumbing supplies, wastewater and solid waste management equipment, backflow prevention devices, hot water heaters, and a canopy for shade and protection of food contact surfaces. The goal is to raise the funds and begin construction of the unit by spring of 2010.

How can I stay informed and receive updates on the project?

A mobile poultry processing unit listserv (mppu@elist.tufts.edu) has been established for producers, consumers, agency regulators, and other interested individuals to receive news and announcements about the project. To subscribe, send an email to jennifer.hashley@tufts.edu asking to be subscribed to the listserv.

To Donate

Tax deductible donations are accepted on-line through the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Please select the Friedman School of Nutrition and specify that you would like your donation to be directed to the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.

THANK YOU! ... to our current donors and contributors to the MPPU

Updated January 04, 2011

"Good Food Heros"

Up to $100: Andres Aguirre Judith Asarkof Kathleen Bailey Jeff Behrens & Lori Rutter David Berg Cherry L. Bennett Renu Bostwick Pamela Callaway Cambridge At Home Andrea Carr-Evans Joanne E. Cottam Elizabeth Darby James Eber Katherine Endicott and Leslie Thomas Elaine Gifford Gene Hashley Elizabeth Hinkle Margaret (Peggy) Hogan Jean Husson Katherine Johnson Erika Keller Rogoff Richard N. Kinyua Ann Lee Nicole Lemmon Andrew Locke Kristin Lynde Stacy G. Mates Susan Moser Raymond O'Neil Molly Paul Nathaniel M. Pine Lisa Plato Kristine Recktenwald Laura Rice, in honor of Brenda Cruikshank Timothy J. Rodgers Mathias Rosenfeld K. Leyla Schimmel Ruth Shelley Sarah Shonbrun Nancy Simon Yuriko Tada Missy Thomson Rob Truslow George L. Walter Julia Yoshida

Up to $250: Tamar Granovsky James Harrison Michelle Lee Winifred K. Martin Jo Ann Michalak Oakes Plimpton and Patricia Magee Scott Prokop

"Cornish Cross Champions" 
$250 or more

• Elizabeth Dil and Christopher Rowbottom
• Anne and Robert Eccles
• Margaret W. Flowers
• Elizabeth Gerstner
• Jacqueline J. Jacobs
• Patricia McCaffrey
• Julia Sedykh
• Karen B. Watson

"Red Bro Revelers"
$500 or more

• Alex and Jenise Aminoff
• Margaret and Woodie Flowers
• Christopher Gaffney
• Jennifer Hashley and Pete Lowy
• James Hung, MD
• Mr. Theodore Kwan
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading
• Robert C. Weir and Deborah Krupenia, in memory of Mr. Herbert Whitcomb
• Gail Wine

"Mobile Meat Mavens"
$1,000 or more

• Theresa E. Cohen
• Goldsmith Family Foundation
• Charles Lamb and Linda Lee
• Wanda Olsen
• Ryan and Rebecca Shawgo
• Anonymous Donor
• Slow Food Boston Consortium

"Golden Egg Endowers"
$5,000 or more

• Christine and Joseph A. Datillo
• Fleetwing Charitable Foundation

"Poulet Patrons"
$10,000 or more

• In Memory of Carl E. and Ann L. Beers
• Toward Sustainability Foundation