Cooper Farms Cooked Meats hosted an open house and ribbon cutting for their recent 50,000 square foot expansion, at their plant on State Route 127 just north of Van Wert. Cooper Farms produces a growing variety of high quality products for markets far and wide - everything from turkey, chicken and pork, to table eggs, feed and more. Founded in 1938 by Virgil and Virginia Cooper, Cooper Farms is still family owned and operated.

The new expansion will allow Cooper Farms to increase their "clean-room slicing" capacity. Clean-room slicing is a method of slicing and packaging cooked deli meat in an extremely clean environment, producing high quality sliced product for customers. Prior to the expansion, Cooper Farms had one CRS room which contained two lines.

Jim, Dianne and Gary Cooper, owners, along with Greg Cooper, plant manager, and Dale Hart, general manager of processing all took part in the ribbon cutting for the addition.

Jim Cooper kicked things off, welcoming the nearly 75 people in attendance. Cooper then introduced Representative Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon, who expressed his congratulations and thanks to the Cooper family.

"I want to thank the Cooper family; Jim, Dianne and Gary for their commitment to this area," Wachtmann said. "They are a shining example to the greatness of our free enterprise system. They attract high quality people, treat their team members great and grow as a team and a company. That benefits all of us in northwest Ohio."

Congressman Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, also congratulated the Cooper family on the expansion and positive impact on the community.

"I want to thank you for your entrepreneurship and for your steadfastness to make sure you're going to grow in this area and keep people here working," said Latta. He went on to explain the importance of small businesses in America. "Over 60 percent of the businesses in our country are what we consider small businesses.  If it wasn't for you, the Cooper family, we wouldn't be getting by."

The first phase of the expansion provided room for an additional Clean Room Slicing line. This phase was completed in June and production began the first week of July.

The second phase is set to be completed in October. This phase will complete the areas outside of the completed slicing line, and add room for three more CRS or high pressure processing  lines to be added in the future. The new portion of the building will have its own entrance, team member areas, maintenance, sanitation and offices. This is all to ensure the highest food safety standards for Cooper Farms produced products.