When pressure hits a community, you quickly learn who’s willing to roll up their sleeves. With inflation soaring to all-time highs and SNAP benefits shrinking just as families brace for the holidays, many small processors and producers are feeling the strain right alongside their customers. Yet across the country, some plants aren’t waiting for outside solutions. They’re stepping up. One of them is McPhee’s Butchery in Woodland, Washington, where owner–operator and rancher James McPhee launched a simple but powerful idea: a no-questions-asked, seven-day-a-week food pantry. It started with a single conversation and became a community movement. We sat down with James to hear how it began, what it’s become, and what other small processors can learn from it.

INTERVIEW: James McPhee, McPhee’s Butchery, Woodland, Washington

NMPAN: James, thanks for talking with us today. We saw what you were doing on social media and wanted to highlight it. You’re running a food pantry out of your butcher shop during one of the toughest seasons communities have faced in a long time. What pushed you to jump in like this?

McPhee: We’ve always tried to be community-focused in everything we do. In the meat industry, the truth is simple: no one should be going hungry. When SNAP and EBT benefits were suddenly cut, it felt wrong to sit still. I told my office manager what we were doing, and within an hour we had shelves, a plan, and the start of a pantry. It didn’t have to be perfect. We just started.

NMPAN: And the community immediately rallied around it.

McPhee: Absolutely. We went to Walmart to grab some basics and they donated $250 on the spot. A cashier threw in twenty bucks of her own. Then the donations kept coming. People want to help. They just don’t always know how to execute an idea. We already have the freezers, the cooler, the dry storage. We’re open seven days a week. So why not us?

NMPAN: Walk us through what people receive when they show up.

McPhee: Hamburger has been the biggest thing. We’ve had around $1,200 donated just for burger alone. We stretch that money as far as possible by buying from stores where our dollars go the furthest, and sometimes we buy big chubs and repackage them ourselves. Beyond that, it’s staples: eggs, milk, soups, mac and cheese, canned goods, hygiene items, pet food. Whatever people need. Some folks only need one bag. Bigger families take two. It’s completely free.

NMPAN: How has your crew responded to the whole effort?

McPhee: They’re all in. One of my employees told me she’d never been so proud to work somewhere. That meant a lot. We’re all balancing heavy workloads right now, but the pantry hasn’t bogged us down. Donations roll in constantly. And when someone hands us money specifically for something like hamburger, we can source it quickly and keep things moving.

NMPAN: You’ve got a lot on your plate already: ranching, cutting, running a business, family, even insurance work. Has adding this been a strain?

McPhee: Busy? Sure. But this felt like something we had to do regardless. Once people started dropping items off, it became more efficient than I expected. Honestly, it felt like the right move, and when something’s right, you find the time.

NMPAN: You talk a lot about community, more than most of the folks that I work with. What does supporting your local area mean to you?

McPhee: I’ve worked in different industries and seen firsthand that if you take care of your community, they’ll take care of you. This isn’t about marketing or PR. It’s about doing what’s right. I’ve never donated to someone and regretted it. And honestly, someday it could be me in that line. Life’s unpredictable. We only get one run at it. I want my kids to see what giving back looks like.

NMPAN: If another small processor or producer wants to start something like this but doesn’t know where to begin, what’s your advice?

McPhee: Just start. Don’t wait to make it perfect. Buy a rack. Put a few items on it. Open your door. Listen to what people ask for and adjust. Even a dollar box of mac and cheese might be the only meal someone eats that night. Something is always better than nothing.

NMPAN: Before we wrap up, tell readers what McPhee’s Butcher Block does best. What should producers or locals know about your shop?

McPhee: We take pride in our custom processing. We use heavy-duty vacuum bags and include a QR code on every package that links customers to recipes and details on that cut. We try to be transparent from start to finish. And yes, we make great jerky and great snack sticks. Our motto is “by ranchers, for ranchers.” That pretty much sums us up.

NMPAN: James, thanks again. Your pantry is a reminder of what small processors can do when they lead with generosity. Hope the rest of the season treats you well.

McPhee: Thanks. And I appreciate what NMPAN does for folks like us. If you’re part of this community, get involved. You get out what you put in.

• David Zarling, NMPAN Program Manager

*Editor’s note: by the time this was published, SNAP benefits had been reinstated for most, although at lower amounts for many.