LIBERTY – The Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency will receive a $320,000 grant from the Upstate Regional Blueprint Fund to develop a meat processing plant for livestock producers.

The facility, to be developed on a four acre parcel off Willow Lane in the Village of Liberty, will cost $1.6 million, employ 50 livestock production workers and benefit existing area farms.

The Southern Catskills Red Meat Processing Facility “will keep jobs in Sullivan County, dramatically reduce transportation costs for local livestock producers and benefit some 200 farms in the region,” said Governor David Paterson. “The strategic investment directly responds to the unique challenges faced by our agricultural sector workers Upstate and will position the Upstate economy for future growth.”

Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Rouis said the remainder of the funding for the plant is expected to come from an Economic Development Authority grant and money from the county’s Industrial Development Agency.

The facility has also received $50,000 Rural Business Opportunities grant, and a $175,000 Rural Business Enterprise grant for equipment from USDA Rural Development through the efforts of Congressman Maurice Hinchey.

Right now, farmers must travel to Pennsylvania of further upstate for red meat processing facilities, said Rouis.