New meat processing plant opens in St. Ignatius

At D&J Meats in St. Ignatius, owner Donald Pierce knows that bagging a buck is just the beginning for hunters. The new meat processor is ready to help with the next steps — cutting, wrapping, storing and all meat processing needs.

“I think local production is the way it has to be,” said Pierce, a Ronan native. “I hope we get back to the way it used to be when local agriculture producers filled the local needs.”

Pierce already has started that process in his own community. Shortly before the 2021 hunting season, Pierce turned his hobby of meat cutting into a brick-and-mortar business. His clientele already includes regional hunters and local livestock ranchers, who rely on D&J Meats to process their meat.

Pierce secured a loan from nonprofit lender MoFi to bring his protein passion to the commercial level. He aimed to create a state-of-the-art facility with easy access for ranchers, farmers and hunters in the region. D&J Meats puts particular focus on customer service and a sense of community, since Pierce knows firsthand what it’s like to live and work in a small Montana town.

D&J Meats provides full livestock processing and meat packing services as well as processing and packaging services for deer, elk, bison, antelope, bighorn sheep and moose.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. D&J Meats is located at 34408 Pierce Lane in St. Ignatius. For more information, contact Pierce at 406-253-7949 or call the shop at 406-745-0643.