TRANSITION GRANT IN ACTION
STEADFAST FARMS BRINGS POULTRY PROCESSING ON THE FARM
Steadfast Farms, LLC began producing high-quality game birds in 2017, after purchasing property in the hills of Bethlehem. The Farm has consistently grown in
customer base and revenue year after year, balancing historic traditions with modern practices to meet customer demand throughout New England for farm-raised game birds including pheasant, quail, and squab.
The next step for Steadfast Farms was to not only produce, but also process and package game bird meat as an alternative 
option to mainstream poultry for the general public and restaurants. Construction of a poultry processing facility would provide customers locally raised meats and establish a USDA compliant processing facility within the state of Connecticut, which Connecticut is in short supply of.
After receiving a 2020 Farm Transition Grant, work began on erecting a 30’x60’x18’ steel building, building out the interior walls, doors, windows, electrical and plumbing installations, outfitting the processing and packaging space with all necessary equipment, and completing a space designated for breeding and brooding year-round. The “Grow Out” room was designated to house flocks for egg production in a temperature and lighting-controlled environment to stimulate breeding conditions year-round. The chicks would be moved into brooders and grow out pens for a period of 8 weeks. At that point, the birds would be moved to the processing room.
By coordinating game bird meat production and processing, the growing cycle of mature birds is shortened to 8 weeks rather than the previous 16-24 weeks, allowing for more production in the growing season. The meat birds will be grown in vertical brooding units, allowing for larger quantities of birds to be produced
on less acreage. It is estimated that the facility at peak production would be able to produce 20,000 game birds for meat within an 8-week period.
Jared McCool, operating partner of Steadfast Farms, says, “The new facility provided the ability to produce more dollars per acre. The efficient space requirements and processes that this project created for Steadfast Farms, LLC will meet the demands of the market today, and allow us to scale with the increasing demand expected over the next three years. This positions Steadfast Farms, LLC to have a positive impact on the Connecticut Food industry, Connecticut Grown Initiative, other local farmers, and increase sustainable farming year-round.”
The FTG is a competitive matching reimbursement grant for Connecticut agricultural producers and agricultural cooperatives. The Farm Transition Grant is provided through the State of Connecticut Farm Transition Grant Program, established in 2005 through Public Act 05-228, An Act Concerning Farmland Preservation, Land Protection, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation.