Hi-Line Packing going strong after first year of operation

Owner and manager, Jim Dumas, opened Hi-Line Packing in Malta in early January of 2020. Since then, he has been growing the company steadily.

He now has a crew of 10, most of which started out with zero or very little experience, but he says they have come along very well and are starting to pick up speed. His ultimate goal is to have a crew of a minimum of 15.

Right now the company is pushing close to 20 cattle a week through the plant. Dumas said he would like to be closer to 30 cattle per week by the end of the year, as the crew gets faster and with more training. The max capacity of the plant is 40 to 50 per week.

Right now they are slaughtering three days a week, with the other days taken up by processing and grinding. At its max, the plant will be slaughtering, processing, and grinding every day. He said that would take a full crew with all of them up to speed on training.

Dumas said that he has set a goal of getting USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) certified by the end of this year. Noting that there is still a lot of things to get done between now and then, but that it can be done.

Once the USDA inspection is done, Dumas said he would like to start selling to grocery and retail stores. “One of the things that bothers me is that you can’t go downtown tonight and buy a steak, take it home and throw it on the grill that is locally raised.” He said.

One goal that Dumas stated he had when he opened the plant has already been met. He has opened his own market place in the old Packy’s building. It is a coffee shop and small deli, using the product that they have processed at the plant. All of their own smoked product is used in the deli, all of the sandwich meats, polish dogs, hot dogs, snack sticks, and jerky. Hi-Line Packing currently holds the Grand Champion award for fresh casing product and the Reserve Grand Champion for whole muscle jerky in the state.

Dumas said he is more than happy to help anyone that wants to do their own product as well, help with spices and mixes and any production questions that they would have.

Dumas said he would really like to help some of the younger generation and show them that for the right person, they could make a good paying career out of working in packing plants. He said that the FFA program from Malta has been out to the plant and had a tour with plans to do more. Dumas stated that he is working with the Malta FFA along with a new training program that has started at Miles City Community College. This training program is a joint venture between the college and the Montana Meat Processors Association, of which Hi-Line Packing is a part of. He said that it is not a four-year or two-year degree, it is a certificate. Most of the book work can be done online, followed by a hands-on apprenticeship at one of the supporting packing plants.

“If you walk into a place and show them your experience and that you can handle a knife, you will be hired before you leave at just about any meat processing place in the country. And that is something good to have to fall back on.” Dumas said.

When asked about his first year in business in Malta, Dumas said, “Malta is one of the most business friendly communities that I have ever been around. They are unbelievably supportive of their businesses and of bringing in business and economic gain for the community.”

He said that he has dealt with other communities where the local Chamber is more worried about the city and how it looks than the businesses in it. He stated that Malta’s Chamber of Commerce is more worried about the businesses. They see that helping all of the businesses flourish helps out every single business and not just certain ones.

Finishing up his thoughts on Malta, Dumas said, “One thing that I’m still not used to is being asked by the local government what they can do for me. What do I need from them? And if I do ask or need something, they are able to give me a list stating that this is the criteria I will need to meet to get what I wanted done. I’m not used to that. Everyone in the local government has been that way.”