WHEN the first cooperative locker 

 plants were built during the late 

 thirties, boards of directors and man- 

 agers had in mind the rendering of two 

 major services. One service was to pro- 

 vide lockers in which patrons could 

 store their frozen meats, fruits and 

 vegetables; and the other service was 

 the processing of these products. 



After a few years it was learned that 

 many patrons were eager to have their 

 lard rendered and hams and bacon cured 

 and smoked. Early constructed plants 

 provided neither space nor equipment 

 for rendering these services. Plants con- 

 structed more recently are carefully 

 planned so that these services can be 

 rendered efficiently and to the complete 

 satisfaction of patrons. 



During the past few years other new 

 services have been requested. One in 

 which there appears to be wide interest 

 is that of slaughtering animals for pro- 

 ducers. 



The first locker association to build 



PLAN COMPLETE SERVICE 

 WITH NEW LOCKER PLANTS 



BY FRANK A. GOUGLER 



Oirecter. Produce M p il ie th ni 



such a plant is the Henry County Cold 

 Storage Locker Service. The building 

 as first constructed was a concrete block 

 building 20' x 52', costing approximately 

 J7,000.00 including equipment. Recent- 

 ly the building has been enlarged pro- 

 viding 500 sq. ft. more room so the 

 slaughtering service can be done more 

 efficiently. Another service that will be 

 provided is that of dressing poultry. A 

 dozen locker companies are now provid- 

 ing slaughter service. Half of these are 



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Under construction about eight miles west of Carlinville Is a slaughter-precessing plant 

 along the lines indicated In the above drawing. The Macoupin County Locker Service 

 now operates three locker plants and is building Its fourth as well as expanding the 

 Carlhivllle plant. When this slaughter-processing plant is completed, oil slaughtering, 

 processing, sharp-freezing, rendering, curing and smoking will be done here. Chill and 

 aging rooms in present plants will be converted Into locker rooms. Finished products will 

 be trucked from slaughter-processing plant to the several locker plants. 



built independent of locker plants while 

 the others are a part of the locker plant. 



Once building materials are available 

 and construction costs reasonable most 

 of our cooperative associations will pro- 

 vide some kind of slaughter service. 

 Many towns and cities have ordinances 

 which prohibit the building of a slaugh- 

 ter plant within the city limits. A zon- 

 ing board in one county has blocked 

 every effort the locker board has made 

 toward locating a slaughter plant. 



A number of associations operating 

 several locker plants are planning on 

 concentrating their entire operation at 

 one central point. To bring this about 

 it is necessary to build a rather large 

 structure wherein all slaughtering, proc- 

 essing, freezing, lard rendering, curing 

 and smoking will be done under one 

 roof. After the products are sharp 

 frozen they will be moved by truck to 

 the various locker plants. 



This type of operation contemplates 

 providing other services to patrons such 

 as trucking the live animals from the 

 farm to the central plants by operating 

 pick-up truck routes on designated days 

 and established routes. The dressing, 

 processing and sharp freezing of poultry 

 is included in the plan. 



Boards of directors and management 

 interested in building a central slaughter- 

 processing plant are of the opinicMi that 

 processing can be accomplished more ef- 

 ficiently in such a central plant than in 

 several local plants. Furthermore, space 

 now used in each locker plant for age- 

 ing, curing, smoking, etc. can be con- 

 verted into additional lodcer space, thus 

 the demand for more lockers can be 

 satisfied. 



At the present time the first such plant 

 to be constructed is nearing completion 

 for the Macoupin Locker Service. The 

 plant is located about eight miles west 

 of Carlinville. By the time this plant 

 is completed this association will have 

 more than 3500 locker patrons who will 

 appreciate these services. Some of these 

 services will be extended to non-patrons, 

 stores, restaurants, etc. Numerous other 

 locker associations are interested in estab- 

 lishing similar services and are only de- 

 laying the project until conditions be- 

 come more favorable for building and 

 the purchase of equipment. 



JANUARY, 1947 



11 



