Thoma Enterprises Inc

ABSTRACT11-05-2021THOMA Enterprises Inc. Is a Family-owned, Very Small Slaughter and Meat Processing Operation in the Ruralcommunity of Durant, Iowa. We Operate a 3,500 SQ. FT. State-inspected Facility, Process APPROXIMATELY538,000 Pounds of Meat Annually, and Source From About 500 Unique Farmers and Ranchers. We Aim Toparticipate in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program to Grow Sales in Illinois, Wisconsin, Andminnesota. However, Our Facility Operates on Older Equipment That Is Not Compatible With Fsis Standards.to Fix This Problem and Seize New Opportunities, We Will Invest in a Modern Vacuum Stuffer and Twisterlinker Machine That Will Be Easily Sanitized, Decrease Food Waste by Up to 10 Percent, and Reduce Processingtime by 25 Percent. Our Proposed Addition of a New Meat Grinder Will Also Move Us Toward Inspection Readiness by Reducingfood Touchpoints, Improving Food Safety, and Reducing the Maximum Temperature Meat Reaches Duringprocessing . This Addition Will Save 7,200 Manhours of Labor and Increase Processing Capacity by 125PERCENT During the Grant Period. the Grinder Will Also Save 4,680 Pounds of Food Waste Lost During Grindingover the Grant Period.the Final Addition of a New Packaging and Labeling System With a Scale Will Improve Our Fsis Uniformlabeling Compliance and Reduce the Labor Intensity of Packaging by 75 Percent. Altogether, We Expect Tobecome Cis Ready, Create 3 New Jobs, Grow Our Sales 150 Percent, and Process an Additional 750,000POUNDS of Meat During the Grant Period With This Award.