An open house was scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a Ribbon Cutting taking place at 4 p.m. on June 1, 2023 for the newest business in Marcus—Jordan’s Meat Market. It was February of 2022 when Morrie Marks, a locker plant USDA inspector with over 25 years as a meat cutter, spoke to the Marcus City Council on having a locker plant in the Marcus Business Park. The last time Marcus had a meat shop was in the 1990’s so a future Jordan’s Meat Market was approved. The opening date of the new business was supposed to be June 1, 2023—And on June 1, 2023, Jordan’s Meat Market opened right on schedule!.
Operator of the new business would be Jordan Marks as soon as he graduated from Iowa State University. Jordan is a fourth-generation meat cutter whose family is well know in our area as they run Marks Meat Processing Center in Remsen.
The City of Marcus wasn’t the only one that thought a meat market could be worth while. USDA Rural Development on January 5, 2023 awarded an $800,000 low-interest loan to help build Jordan’s Meat Market. This loan covered construction of the meat locker as well as providing working capital. This loan is 8% of the USDA’s $9.6 million initiative to help the nation’s meat supply. USDA Secretary, Tom Vilsack stated that USDA was putting the needs of farmers, ranchers and consumers at work in order to strengthen the resiliency of America’s food supply chain while promoting competition. Jordan’s Meat Market was included in a list of 25 others that received this loan.
The USDA has taken an approach to coordinate ways to deliver more opportunities and fairer prices for producers. It intends to give people access to healthier foods, and eliminate bottle-necks in the food supply chain that will hopefully lower prices for consumers.
In August of 2022, there was a ground-breaking for Jordan’s Meat Market and in October of 2022, concrete was poured and construction began. It didn’t take long for the building to take shape.
Now that it is up and running, there could be as many as 10-15 cattle and 20 hogs a week for slaughter. At the open house, in the first part of the building, was a counter as well as places on the one wall where packaged meats were for sale. There was one thing I noticed about some packaged hamburger, and that was that instead of “round” it was cut rectangular. (Maybe there were “rounds” that I didn’t see.)
The meats that were for sale were from a previous slaughter that the owner didn’t want all he brought in but maybe only half—then the rest would be USDA inspected and sold to the public.
Another room we went to contained several metal or storage bins. The floors throughout were covered in “white”. From this room we went outside for refreshments.
Jordan’s Meat Market offered grilled beef and pork burgers, (with many condiments!), potato chips and a drink. The weather cooperated so we could sit on picnic tables on the east side of the building.
Congratulations to the newest business operator, Jordan Marks on his Jordan’s Meat Market! A locker plant like this one is hoped to be an economic impact to not only our community but area communities as well.