TOWN OF LIBERTY – The Southern Catskills Red Meat Processing Facility in the Town of Liberty has secured final site plan approval with construction expected to start later this year, Sullivan County IDA Chairman Alan Scott told county legislators.

The plant, which is expected to feed its products into New York City metropolitan area restaurants and farmer markets, will make it that much easier for local farmers, who now must travel two to four hours to bring their livestock to market.

The town planning board has granted final site plan approval, which means work should begin later this year, said County Legislature Community and Economic Development Committee Chairman Ira Steingart.

“They are hoping to get the shovel in the ground at the latest by September because I believe that is the date that is tied to their grants,” Steingart said.

Scott said the IDA will seek a company to run the plant.

“We are going to put this project out to bid to find an operator and select one of those operators for this facility, but we are going to build it,” Scott said.

The federal government has committed $800,000 toward the $1.7 million, 5,000 SF project. Congressman Maurice Hinchey has secured $225,000 for the project.