photo by: Journal-World

The west side of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.

A Douglas County company is seeking feedback to guide a feasibility study about establishing a local meat processing facility in the county.

Central Grazing Company, one of the recipients of Douglas County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds, is encouraging people to respond to a survey to that end, especially those who represent a grocer, restaurant, producer, hunter or food provider.

The Douglas County Commission granted Central Grazing Company $305,000 in ARPA funding back in July, which in part covers the cost of the feasibility study. Company founder Jacqueline Smith told the Journal-World in August that she sees the proposed facility as potentially “instrumental” in creating resiliency in the local food system.

“We can create a resilient food system that allows farmers to sell outside the corporate monopoly,” a statement at the beginning of the survey reads. “But to reform our food system, we must first address the greatest challenge of the lack of processing facilities to accommodate smaller operations.”