A Madras-based business plans to build a meat processing facility on their  property two miles north of the city limits.

Symons Beef Co., owned by Jeremy and JoHanna Symons, plan to construct the plant on a 78-acre site between Northeast Dogwood and Elm Lane north of Madras, with construction to begin later this year. They project the plant would employ 40 people or more initially, with growth to 70 employees in the future.

Symons said she hopes the plant will help them vertically integrate their ranch production, retaining full control from cattle to retail product, as well as provide a local option for higher volume meat processing.

“For producers like us, where quality matters, owning the entire process is a game changer,” said Symons at the April 23 Jefferson County Board of Commissioners meeting on the project. “It allows us to improve food safety, reduce risk, and ensure the final product reflects our standards.”

With slim margins in the commodity beef market, the new facility gives the company and other local ranches an opportunity to sell dry-aged, premium local beef, aging carcasses for 10 to 14 days to enhance flavor and value, noted Symons.

“We’ve looked at cattle supply in our area and planned the size around what is available and needed in the region,” said Symons. “People have to travel to other states because the processing available here is not able to handle what’s needed.”

The plant is designed to process 50 head per day, totaling around 12,500 cattle annually. They plan to build with room for expansion, and coolers that hold up to 200 head. It’s the only facility of its size in Central Oregon, meaning it will also be a key resource for neighboring ranchers who currently must transport cattle out of state for processing.

The project has already received permits and DEQ inspections, and the Symons plan to begin construction this summer, with hopes of opening in June 2026.

Enterprise Zone

To support the project, Jefferson County and the cities of Madras, Metolius and Culver approved an expansion of the Enterprise Zone. The change allows Symons Beef to access property tax abatements, easing the high upfront costs.

The abatements are part of a three-year program that will allow the project to forgo property taxes for the first three years, in exchange for creating significant employment opportunities in the county.

The new facility is projected to bring 40 to 50 jobs in its first year, growing to about 70 employees annually within three years. In total, the project will add over $20,000 to the county’s tax revenue a year once the abatement ends.

DOC Partnership hopes to bridge workforce gap

The company plans to partner with the Oregon Department of Corrections to provide work experience for up to 20 adults in custody at the facility. The plant will likely start with three to five. All participants will be low-security individuals with five years or less on their sentence.

Under supervision, AICs will receive prevailing wages and have the opportunity to build savings for re-entry, while paying off court fees and restitution.

“They have a better chance of success after release, they have a skill they’ve learned,” said Symons. “Some of these folks we hope to rehire once they’re released, even offer housing.”

Programs like this have seen significant improvements in lowering the rate those in prison re-offend after release.