The fourth generation of a cattle family has grown their business into a meat processing business with the addition of a store and restaurant.
McLean Farms started in rural Benedict, Nebraska, in 1949, with a focus on cattle care and feeding. The operation expanded into a finishing fed cattle operation in 1961. In late 2020, they opened a meat processing facility and store in York with the capacity of up to 50 beef per week. A restaurant opened in 2022 and they’re soon expanding their offerings to steak nights.
In 2021, McLean Beef testified in support of Nebraska Legislative Bill (LB) 324 in support of creating the Independent Processor Assistance Program (IPAP) to provide funding to certain federally inspected, state inspected, or custom-exempt slaughter and processing facilities in Nebraska that employ fewer than 25 people. Recipients may use the funds to pay for capital improvements, utilities upgrades, equipment, technology, building rentals, costs associated with increased inspections and educational and workforce training.
In 2022, they testified for LB 755 in support of funding IPAP, and again in 2023 against LB 117, a proposal to relax eligibility guidelines for larger processors.
McLean Beef was one of 64 small- and medium-sized processors to get an IPAP grant.
Find out more at cfra.org/meatprocessingloans.com.
Top photo: Recently, the Center for Rural Affairs received a $15 million grant to provide loans to small and medium meat and poultry processing facilities in Nebraska. On March 9, the Center’s Board of Directors toured McLean Beef prior to their spring meeting to learn more about processing and the type of businesses who would qualify for these loans. | Photos by Rhea Landholm
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Photo #2: Owner Max McLean was on hand to answer questions, as well as his wife, Jeanette, and daughter Char Mae Glause. Max hand picks the beef to be processed and sold as McLean Beef.
Photo #3: Manager Brian Kurth shows Center board and staff the killing floor, and explains the process. McLean Beef has a processing capacity of up to 50 beef per week.
Photo #4: Johnathan Hladik and Nick Bergin check out the hanging meat, all with a U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified stamp. A USDA inspector is at McLean Beef 40 hours per week.
