Can a nursing home operator in St. Lawrence Co. build a hamburger plant?

Story from North Country Public Radio

United Helpers CEO Steve Knight addresses members of the
Society of the United Helpers at the Nov. 6 board meeting at Canton's
The Club Restaurant.

One of the North Country’s largest health care providers wants to spin off an unlikely business.

United Helpers, based in Ogdensburg, N.Y., wants to build a USDA-certified slaughterhouse that makes hamburger from culled dairy cows.

David Sommerstein reports organizers hope the plant is just the beginning of a project that develops the local farm economy.

United Helpers runs nursing homes, home health services for the elderly and mentally ill, senior apartments, and more. The not-for-profit has been operating for 116 years.

So why ground beef?

For the last five years, United Helpers has given serious thought to one part of its mission statement, the part that says "to serve our community and help those in need."

Chief Executive Officer Stephen Knight said he and his board interpreted that phrase to mean “what people really need are jobs.” "I’m from St. Lawrence County," Knight said. "I’ve seen the economic decline and struggles rural America has, and I’d like to do something that would turn that trend around."

Click here to read the full story at NCPR.